


Hold On

by ErynScarlet



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, Kara Danvers isn't Supergirl
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-02-25 06:15:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 13
Words: 36,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21911353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErynScarlet/pseuds/ErynScarlet
Summary: The wide hallway, with its tall ceilings and open space, felt so much smaller than before. Suddenly, there wasn’t enough oxygen and Kara found herself running to the nearest balcony. Bursting through the large double doors, she found herself on the balcony overlooking the Luthor gardens where she and Lena spent a lot of time together. Turning her back to the view, she slid down the railing, landing gracelessly on the floor. Curling herself into the smallest ball she could, she wrapped her arms around her knees and cried. Cried for her best friend who she promised to protect. Cried for the girl who went through something so awful, all alone. With nobody there to save her. Kara cried for the girl she loved more than anyone else on the planet. She cried for the girl that had been in the woods for who knows how long, all by herself.
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Samantha "Sam" Arias/Alex Danvers
Comments: 24
Kudos: 173





	1. Silence

It's dark. She knows is only a little past noon, but the dense forest rejects any and all light that tries to break through the thick blanket of limbs and leaves above her. She doesn't move from her spot on the ground, head resting painfully against a slightly raised tree root. She can feel the bruises forming on her arms that now lay carelessly above her head. The tiny bits of blood seeping from her palms where her nails dug into them who knows how long ago, leaving thin trails of red down to the ground, where they mix with the dirt. She can still feel the hands on her stomach, pushing her down, holding her to the ground no matter how hard she fought. Her legs rest haphazardly below her, the jeans she once had on discarded somewhere beside her. At least she hopes, as much as she can hope after today, that they are nearby. She can still feel them. The hands, holding her still, no matter how much she wanted them to let go. She can still hear them. The voices, laughing as she screamed to be free. She can still taste it. The dirt-covered cloth they stuffed in her mouth to muffle her cries. But most importantly, she can still see, hear, and feel _him._ The man whose face was covered by a mask, but his deep voice could be recognized anywhere. The man whose hands pushed her into the ground, and no matter how she twisted and turned away from him, forced himself onto and into her. Breaking her beyond repair.

She doesn't know how long she's been there. Lying on that cold hard ground just inside the forest surrounding the school. She must have been lying there for a while. Before long she hears the bell, signaling the end of school, along with hundreds of voices. Kids leaving the building in a big wave of people, each taking their own paths home for the day. She knows she needs to get up. To leave the woods. But she lost the will to move a long time ago. Staring at the dense leaves above her, she waits. Maybe someone will find her. Force her to move. But until they do, she's not moving.

Her blue-green eyes now turned grey, stay transfixed on the blackness above her. Her focus unbreaking even when a voice calls out to her. Another voice she recognizes, but right now doesn't acknowledge. The voice calls again, the crunching of leaves and small sticks gets closer as the person wants to see most (surprising herself that she wants to see anyone, considering) gets closer and closer to her.

"Lena!" The voice of her best friend calls in surprise.

"Kara?" a raspy voice, that doesn't sound like her own, calls back. Keeping her eyes stuck to the thick forestry, she can hear Kara kneel beside her.

"Lena, what happened?" The blonde asks sadly. Only when a soft hand wipes her cheek does she realize she has been crying. Finally, she looks at the blonde, whose blue eyes are almost overflowing with unshed tears. Suddenly, the blond's gaze is elsewhere, eyes scanning for something in the dark. Startling the brunette on the ground, she quickly moves away but is instantly back at Lena's side.

"May I put these back on?" She asks in a small voice. Finally realizing what the blonde is holding, she sees her discarded black jeans. She hadn't realized they weren't put back on already. A slight nod from her and Kara moved to slowly put them back over her probably bruise covered legs. With minimal help from Lena, but with no words of protest or annoyance, Lena was re-dressed, and Kara was back by her side. With gentle hands, Kara brought Lena's arms down from resting above her head, laying one across her abdomen, and taking the other in her own hands.

Another voice calls from the edge of the forest. Without breaking her gaze from the woman on the ground Kara calls back, "I found her Alex. Stay there, I'll be right out."

"Can you stand?" the blonde asked. A nearly unnoticeable shake of Lena's head and Kara moves instantly to pick her up. Reaching under Lena's head, Kara moves to help her sit up. As soon as her upper body is vertical, Kara retracts her hand. A small gasp and the small pool of red in her palm answers Lena's question of why her head has been hurting.

"I'm going to get you out of here." With a nod from Lena, Kara moves one arm back around Lena's shoulders, and the other under her knees, slowly lifting the brunette from the ground. With her hands in her lap, Lena rests her head on Kara's shoulder, the slight swaying threatening to lull her to sleep. Looking down at the girl in her arms, she sees Lena fighting to keep her eyes open. "It's okay now. You can go to sleep." She whispers. She hadn't realized how tense the brunette was until she felt her relax and allow herself to sleep.

Kara could see them. The dark purple and yellow spots all over her best friend. Kara could hear her. The short, unsteady breaths her friend took as Kara brought her closer to the edge of the woods. Kara could feel it. The almost unnoticeable, tiny trail of blood trickling down from just behind Lena's left ear. But she didn't care that one of her favorite shirts was messed up. Lena was more important. Kara didn't care that Sam would get home late because she missed the bus. Kara insisted that she stay behind to help find Lena. Kara didn't care about anything but Lena. Nothing in the world matters to Kara at this moment, because she had the most important thing to her, sleeping in her arms. She could see the break in the trees, just behind the football field. She could see the backs of two people, leaning on either side of the goal post. Passing the last few trees, Kara quietly called to them.

"Alex. Sam." She said, just above a whisper. Turning quickly, to two girls pushed themselves off the ground. Just as she was about to speak, a shushing sound from Kara kept Alex from talking. Almost simultaneously, they really looked at the girl in Kara's arms. The disheveled, dirty clothes, completely opposite of what Lena normally wore. Usually being the immaculate and well-dressed Luthor. They saw the dried tear trails down her dirt-smudged cheeks. They could see the rips in Lena's black jeans, and the bruising on her now uncovered feet. Her shoes long lost and forgotten. Most importantly, they could see the red spot ever so slowly growing on Kara's right shoulder, turning her blue Supergirl t-shirt into a tie-dyed mess.

"Please. Just help me get her home." Kara asked quietly.

"We need to get her to the hospital." Alex protested quietly. Taking in the look Kara was giving them, silently pleading to listen, Sam said, "Lena's mother is a doctor. Taking her home is basically the same thing." Glancing between Kara and Sam, Alex reached into her pocket, pulling out her keys. Pointing at Kara, she gave a slight, hopefully reassuring, smile, "Just tell me where."

With a deep sigh and a thank you from Kara, the three walked across the football field and across the back of the school towards the student parking lot. Opening the driver door, Alex slipped into the car long enough to start the engine before going to the trunk for a blanket. Sam slipped into the passenger seat while Alex helped Kara into the back. Keeping Lena on her lap, Kara wrapped herself in the blanket, draping as much of it as she could around Lena. Lena's upper body rested across Kara's, while her legs lay carefully across the seats to Kara's left. Dropping back into the driver's seat, Alex, with Kara's directions, took off from the school, heading straight for the Luthor mansion.

The drive to the Luthor mansion was quiet for the most part, aside from Alex calling her mother to let her know they would be a bit late getting home. A short drive and a few turns later, their destination came into view. Pulling up to the large gate, Alex stopped beside a small camera in one of the stone walls separating the coming and going sides of the driveway.

"Name" A stern woman's voice came over the intercom.

"Alex Danvers," She said hesitantly. "I'm here to see Ms. Luthor" She added.

"Eve, It's me Kara, my sister Alex, and her girlfriend Sam. We need to see Lillian now." Kara called quietly from the back seat, only loud enough for the mic to pick her up. A few moments and a held breath later, the clanking of metal was heard as the gate's remote locked clicked open and the large metal doors rolled to either side. Once fully open, Alex slowly drove the car forward down the Luthor's driveway. Coming to a stop beside a row of sleek black cars, Alex turned the engine off, stepping out of the car to help Kara out. Removing the blanket, Kara stepped carefully out of the car, repositioning Lena in her arms so the brunettes head was back against her shoulder. Folding the blanket, Alex returned it to the trunk while Sam helped Kara climb the steps to the front door. Ringing the bell, Alex stood behind Kara as they waited for someone to answer the door. A few short minutes later, the door opened to a man in a more modern butler's uniform. A white button-up shirt with a red tie. Black jacket and pants with shiny black shoes. Behind him were others in similar outfits, the only difference being that their ties were blue.

"Hello, Mr. Corben. Can you please take us to Lillian?" Kara asked quickly.

"Of course, Kara. Right, this way."

Leading them through the parlor, down the hall, past what looked to be a kitchen, up a flight of stairs, past a few seemingly unoccupied rooms, around a corner, and down another hallway, Corben led them to a small office-like room in what Kara said to be the East wing of the Luthor Mansion. The bedrooms being in the West Wing, and the living and dining rooms in the North wing. Knocking on the last door to the right, Corben called through the door, "Ms. Luthor. Kara is here with her sister and her girlfriend. She has Lena as well, they need to speak with you immediately." Thanking him, and with a slight nod, Corben made his way back down the hall, disappearing around the corner. Standing behind Alex and Sam, Kara held Lena close while they waited for Lillian.

A moment later, a goodbye was heard, and the door opened to a tall woman wearing a black button-up shirt and dark grey pants. Her light brown hair was down in waves over her shoulders. The smile fell off her face as she looked from person to person standing in the hallway. To Kara, the wide hallway couldn't feel any smaller and more cramped than it did at this very moment. The uncertain looks on Alex and Sam's faces, the way Kara was hiding behind Sam, the fact the Kara positioned herself just right so that Lillian couldn't see Lena.

"Where's Lena?" 


	2. Patience

"Where's Lena?" The older woman asked.

Just as Alex was about to speak, a tiny "here" broke the deafening silence. Stepping out from behind Sam, Kara put Lena front and center. Without having to look away from Lena, Kara could hear the sharp intake of breath from her best friend's mother.

"I'm so sorry Ms. Luthor. I don't know what exactly happened but- "with a crack of her voice, Kara stopped talking long enough to release a shaky breath, attempting to recompose herself. "-but I found her like this. She was all alone in the woods." Taking a deep breath, Kara choked back the tears threatening to fall again. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there for her." With a hand on either shoulder from Alex and Sam, Lillian quickly ushered the girls into her office-like room. It looked similar to a doctor's office, with a bed in the corner. Various cabinets lined the walls holding who knows what kind of medical supplies. Kara recognized it as Lillian's "practice-office" as Lena liked to call it. It's where, on Lillian's off days, she would spend an hour or two practicing techniques and brush up on her medical knowledge. _A Luthor doesn't get as far as we do without hard work._ Kara could hear Lillian saying that to her and Lena one day when they were working on a project together. Kara remembered having to come in here when one day Lena was showing her how to disassemble a toaster, and the spring that lifts the bread snapped out and hit her cheek. It wasn't too deep, but Lena insisted her mother make sure Kara was okay.

"Lay her down," Lillian said, snapping Kara out of her memories. Doing as instructed, Kara gently put Lena onto the small bed, moving only long enough so Lillian could look over her. As the woman looked over the sleeping girl Kara watched as her chest rose and fell slightly with every shallow breath she took.

"There's a uh, cut, or something, behind her left ear." The blonde said. "It's where all this came from, I think." She added, fiddling with her sleeve. With a nod, Lillian moved to the left side of the bed, turning Lena's head to get a better look behind her ear. Sure enough, under the dirt and dried blood lay a short, jagged cut, not too deep, but deep enough to bleed a lot.

"Anything else?" Lillian asked as she cleaned and covered the injury. With a nod, Kara's eyes begin to water again. Hesitantly, she stepped forward, unhooking the bottom few buttons of Lena's dark blue shirt, opening it just enough so Lillian could see the bottom of the quickly forming bruises on her stomach, and the top of the ones just under the waist of her jeans. Rolling up the sleeves of Lena's shirt, the bruises there were smaller but just as dark. Hand over her mouth and taking a deep breath, Kara said, "you'd have to take off her clothes to see the rest." Without looking up she added, "I'm so sorry," before quickly backing out of the suddenly tiny room. The wide hallway, with its tall ceilings and open space, felt so much smaller than before. Suddenly, there wasn't enough oxygen and Kara found herself running to the nearest balcony. Bursting through the large double doors, she found herself on the balcony overlooking the Luthor gardens where she and Lena spent a lot of time together. Turning her back to the view, she slid down the railing, landing gracelessly on the floor. Curling herself into the smallest ball she could, she wrapped her arms around her knees and cried. Cried for her best friend who she promised to protect. Cried for the girl who went through something so awful, all alone. With nobody there to save her. Kara cried for the girl she loved more than anyone else on the planet. She cried for the girl that had been in the woods for who knows how long, all by herself.

Back with Lillian, Alex stood just inside the door, watching her sister's best friend be examined. Not knowing what happened, she had no idea what to tell Ms. Luthor to look for. All she knew, was what little she could see. After Kara stormed out, Alex could see what made her so upset. The raised shirt and folded sleeves showed a map of pain the young, shy Luthor didn't deserve. Crossing the room to stand beside the bed, Alex got a better look at how dark the bruises were, and how many there really are. Lena's already-small frame looked even smaller with each bruise lining her ribs. Alex's mental image of the bright, young, immaculate Luthor crumbled at the sight before her. Her usually straight hair was full of leaves and tangled in too many places to tell which way it's supposed to go. Her standard neat shirt tucked into clean pants was nowhere to be found, as her shirt had been torn in several places, along with the waist of her jeans, showing they were forcefully ripped off. Her shoes were left somewhere in the woods. Being this close to what Kara found in that dark forest, Alex figured out what had actually happened. As realization dawned on her, she could do nothing but turn to Sam, whose eyes were shut tight behind her.

"I have to find Kara." She thought aloud. Turning back around, she looked to the woman holding her sister's best friend's hand. "Where is the nearest door to outside?" She asked hesitantly.

"Take a left outside this door. Take a right at the end of this hallway. The fifth door on the left is a balcony that overlooks the back gardens." Lillian said without taking her eyes off her daughter, who was still sleeping peacefully. Resting a hand on Lillian's shoulder, Alex whispered a thank you before following the directions she was given.

Opening the door to the balcony, Alex found Kara curled up into a tight ball in the corner. Kneeling down beside her, Alex calmly said, "breathe Kara. Deep breath in, slow breath out. It's okay." Letting out a few shuddering breaths, Kara finally spoke.

"No Alex. It's not. I should have been there." She said. "I told her I would always be there. To protect her."

"You can't save everybody. You of all people should know that." Alex said, resting a hand on Kara's shoulder.

"But I should be able to protect her!" Kara fought, standing up. Resting her forearms on the railing, she looked out over the gardens. The setting sun was casting a warm orange glow on the small fountain at the center of the garden. The stone paths leading around the circular garden, making symmetrical patterns in the flowers.

"You don't understand Alex. I have to protect her. After everything that has happened to her; I can't let her be hurt anymore." The few unshed tears pooled in her blue eyes.

"You can't protect her from everything Kara. But you can be there for her when she's hurt. That will mean more to her than anything." Alex said leaning beside Kara on the railing. "Come on. I know you'll want to be there when Lena wakes up." She added, taking Kara's hand. With a nod, Alex led them back to Lillian's office where Sam was talking quietly to her while Lena lay still asleep. Her hands had been covered, along with her arms, legs, and stomach. Her clothes had been changed from her black jeans and a blue shirt to a long sleeve purple shirt and navy-blue pajama pants.

Alex moved to sit beside Sam while Kara pulled a chair beside the bed Lena was occupying. Lillian stood beside Kara, watching as the blonde took one of Lena's hands, holding it like it was her lifeline. "She's going to be fine dear. She just needs rest."

"I'm so sorry Lillian," Kara said softly.

"Stop apologizing. We cannot change what has happened. All we can do now is help her move forward."

"Is it alright if I stay until she wakes up?" Kara asked, looking between Lillian and her sister. With a nod from Alex and a smile from Sam, Kara looked hopefully at Lillian. "Of course. If you don't mind moving her to her room, you can sleep with her there. I'm sure it will be more comfortable than this chair." Lillian nodded. "We should be going. Call tomorrow Kara?" Alex said standing up, Sam right behind her. With a nod and a message for Eliza, Lillian led Sam and Alex out of the room, back to their car. Wishing them safe drive home, she watched Alex pull out of the driveway, turning until she was out of sight.

"Why aren't you here when we need you? Lionel." She mumbled to herself before going back inside, shutting the door behind her.

Back inside with Lena, Kara thanked their many games of hide-and-seek in this massive house. Because of them, she knew how to get anywhere from any place. Picking up Lena once again, Kara left the room. At the end of the hall, she turned right, passing the balcony doors from earlier. At the end of this hall, she went up a short flight of stairs, going to the third door on the right. Lena's room. It was one of the smaller rooms, the walls were a deep blue. A desk full of trinkets and papers with a small lamp sat in the corner. Along the far wall sat a window seat, overlooking the gardens. At about the middle of the right was sat Lena's large bed, small tables on either side. One held a lamp and alarm clock, while the other contained some of Lena's favorite books along with a picture of them from Freshman year. Hanging in various spots on each wall were sketches of some of Lena's ideas. Kara remembered watching Lena and Lex pull apart the microwave. She doesn't recall why, but she remembers how excited Lena got when she put it back together and it worked properly. She remembers the look of pride on Lex's face as he watched his sister tackle Kara to the ground after checking it with a bag of popcorn. The three celebrated by watching a movie in the mansion's theater room. It wasn't long after that, that Kara remembers Lionel's passing. Thinking about it now, after Lionel passed, Lex grew quite distant, upsetting Lena greatly. Lex had claimed he needed space, having to learn how to take over the family business. Lena understood, giving him the space he needed.

Setting Lena down on her bed, Kara removed her shoes, setting her glasses next to the picture frame. Sliding into the bed, leaving space between herself and Lena, she pulled the blankets up, so they were both covered, pushed the sadness and worries of the day away, and let sleep overcome her. 


	3. Surprise

As the sun rose in the morning, blue eyes opened to the darkness of her best friend's bedroom. The curtains blocked any light trying to come through. Looking to her left, she found Lena lying there, facing Kara. Her knees were brought up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them protectively with her hands balled into fists. Her eyes were shut tight, and Kara could hear tiny whimpers escaping her slightly parted lips. Whatever was happening, it was only getting worse. Lena's knees were getting closer and closer to her chest as her hands clenched and unclenched themselves. Slowly, the brunette's hands found their way to either side of her head, her fingers finding individual paths through the dark brown hair just above her ears. _Stop it._ A tiny voice broke through the whimpers. _Leave me alone._ She cried again.

Carefully resting a hand on Lena's shoulder, Kara spoke, "Lena. Wake up. Please." _Don't touch me._ The brunette cried as she tried to turn away. "Lena, please. It's me. Kara." Small, incoherent words came from Lena as Kara tried to wake her up. Watching Lena rock herself back and forth, mumbling who knows what kinds of words to herself, Kara was at a loss. One thing she was certain about what that Lena was terrified, and she could pick up a few of the things she was mumbling. _Back off,_ and _don't touch me_ came up a lot. Unsure of what else to do, she looked at the clock. 8:30 a.m. Good. Lillian should be getting up soon if she isn't awake already. Shifting Lena to the center of the bed so she doesn't accidentally rock herself onto the floor, Kara climbs off the bed. Quietly leaving the room, she goes to the room at the other end of the hallway. Knocking on the last door on the left, she hears a quiet "come in." She opens the door to Lillian sitting on the edge of her bed, sliding her feet into her slippers.

"Good morning Kara." She says, looking up at the blonde. "What's wrong?" She asked, standing up. Just as Kara was about to speak, they both hear a _stop it_ with so much fear behind it. Looking at each other, neither hesitates to leave Lillian's room, rushing towards Lena's room, Kara staying back a few paces, allowing Lillian to enter the room first.

Walking quickly into the room, Lillian sat on the side of the bed next to the whimpering girl. Taking one of Lena's hands, she softly spoke. "Lena, honey, you need to wake up." Lena's body tensed under the gentle hand on her shoulder, her own hands still clenched into fists on either side of her head. Slowly, Lena's dulled blue-grey eyes opened to meet Lillian's worried gaze.

"Mom?" a quiet, child-like voice mumbled out.

"It's okay baby. I'm here now." The older woman whispered, pulling her daughter to her chest. No other words were said between the two. Nothing needed to be said for Lillian to understand. All she needed to know was that Lena was there, in her arms. Safe, though not entirely sound.

Standing in the doorway, Kara watched her best friend shake in Lillian's arms. She watched Lena's shaking hands cling to Lillian's nightshirt, wrinkling the fabric. The tears streaming down her pale face soaking the collar of her mother's shirt as the blonde stood silently. Lena has always appeared to be strong. Always made herself appear as though nothing could hurt her. Kids at school mocking her intelligence. Going out of their way to make her feel unwanted. She always let it roll off her, like water down a window in a storm. But now, it was freezing on contact, forming icicles as it rolled off her.

Lena had never seemed to be bothered by the fact that she was adopted. The fact that she wasn't actually part of the family she loved never became more than just what it was, a part of her past. While she always wondered who she belonged to before, she knew that the people in her life now cared for her, loved her, and most of all wanted her. She couldn't imagine herself with anyone else. She cherished the family that took her in, taught her, showed her what life was like outside the confines of her vague memory. The Father that brought her to her new family, opening the door for her to learn all about love and what it was like having people there, supporting her unconditionally. The Mother that, though Lena wasn't hers, loved and treated Lena like she was. Lillian taught her anything and everything she asked about. She even taught Lena the piano when she was eight. Her small fingers barely making the jump from key to key as she followed her mothers' more skilled and agile hands dance across the ivory, contrasting strongly against the deep midnight black of the rest of the instrument. She loved her Brother. The boy who was there to support and teach her right from the start. He took her in and showed her any and all tiny projects he had been working on at the time. As years went by, and Lena learned more about the science and mechanics behind Lex's projects, he recruited her. At first, he bounced ideas off her, seeing what she thought, or if she had any ideas. As time went by, she started working more hands-on with his projects. A new drive here increased airflow there, and pretty soon Lena managed to help Lex improve countless numbers of his projects.

As the green-eyed girl's best friend, Kara had seen her weak before. She was there when everything became too much for Lena and helped her pick herself back up. She was there every time a jock slammed her into a locker, demanding she help them, just so they could play their next game. She was there the day Lena found out. The phone call that interrupted their Saturday lunch meets, the breaking of news nobody should ever have to hear as a teenager. Kara had never seen her friend so broken before. That afternoon, the drive back to the Luthor mansion was spent holding Lena in the back seat, rubbing small circles on her back with one hand while the other rested tightly across her shoulders, holding her as close as the seatbelt would allow her. She held Lena up as they stood beside the beautifully decorated casket that held her father, held the man that Lena adored. Kara placed the flower on it when Lena's trembling hands couldn't. That was the first night Kara slept in Lena's bed. She held Lena close as she cried, the only sounds between the two being the slight whimpering from Lena, and _it's going to be okay_ from Kara.

Looking at Lena now, this was a whole new level. Her hands only gripped tighter around her mother's shirt, her eyes shut ever so much tighter as her body shook with fear. Her cries were trapped in her throat as her lungs burned for air. Her knuckles turning a ghostly white as her shaking hands curled around the soft fabric, almost to the point of tearing a hole in the garment. The gentle, slow rocking only slightly calming the girl before her as Lillian drew circles on her back with her hand, the other resting on her back, holding Lena to her chest, the only sound coming from the woman being the quiet shushing as she tried to calm the girl. Slowly opening her eyes, Lillian looked from the girl in her arms up to Kara, who only gave a gentle smile before backing out of the room, closing the door behind her. Moving across the hall to the room she usually used when she stayed over, Lena deeming it her room, Kara rifled through the one drawer she had of extra clothes they let her keep there, finding something to change into. After putting on some old black ripped jeans, a navy-blue plaid flannel shirt, and her white converses from the previous day, she made her way downstairs, towards the back gardens to watch the rest of the sunrise before seeing if breakfast was ready. Being there often enough, she had the mansions schedule pretty much memorized. Lillian waking up around 8:30, waking Lena up after. Breakfast was at 9 a. m. Lunch was at noon, and dinner was at 6 p.m. As she rounded the corner to the stairs leading to the first floor, she came face to face with someone, almost knocking them to the ground.

"Lex?" she stumbled out after a quick apology. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in Metropolis learning the business." The blonde asked pulling the man in for a hug.

"I thought I'd surprise Lena and Mom." He grinned. "Are they up yet?" he added looking over Kara's shoulder. Usually, they were side by side when Kara was over.

Finding something interesting on the floor to stare at, Kara nervously adjusted her glasses. "Um. About that. You might want to give them a few minutes."

"Alright. Is everything okay?"

"I should let Lena tell you if she wants to." The blonde responded nervously. It wasn't her place to tell Lena's brother that she was found in the woods alone the previous day, having been thrown into something against her will. She also wanted to give Lena the extra bit of privacy. Breaking down in front of her best friend is embarrassing enough, no need to add her brother to the list.

"Want to help me bring up breakfast for the lovely ladies?" Lex asked, noting the hesitance in Kara's responses, adding a cheeky grin to his question. With a nod and smile of her own, Kara followed the man downstairs to the kitchen where the Luthor's personal staff was making one of Lena's favorite meals. Pancakes with chocolate chips, and hot chocolate with mini marshmallows. Pulling a serving tray from one of the cabinets, Lex put together two plates of pancakes and two cups of hot chocolate for Lena and Lillian. On another tray, he did the same for himself and Kara. Taking the tray for the girls upstairs, Kara thanked the woman in the kitchen who nodded in return, before turning to leave the kitchen. Lex followed behind with his and Kara's as they climbed the staircase to the east wing of the house. Nearing Lena's room, Kara placed the food tray on the table next to the door, motioning for Lex to stand off to the side. Seeing it as a way for him to surprise his family, he stepped out of sight as Kara prepared to knock on the door. Things seemed to be quieter than when she left, leaving her to hope Lena was feeling calmer and less afraid. Gently knocking on the door with her index finger, she waited for a response.

A quiet _come in_ sounded through the door. The blonde opened the door just enough, so she could nudge it open with her foot. She picked up Lena and Lillian's breakfast tray nodding to Lex as she pushed the door the rest of the way open. Lena had indeed calmed down and was sitting beside Lillian on the bed, their legs hanging off the side. Lillian's arm was wrapped protectively across the brunette's shoulders as she softly rubbed the girl's upper arm in a soothing up and down movement. With a smile, Kara set the tray of pancakes on the side table.

"We brought breakfast." At the mention of we, both sets of green eyes looked at her quizzically, a silent _what_ bringing Lex into the room. Kara wouldn't have had to look to see both of them light up.

"Lex!" Lena jumped from the bed running towards him. Setting down the tray he was holding, he stepped forward to catch her as she practically leaped at him.

"My beautiful boy, when did you get here?" 


	4. Petrified

Standing in the doorway, Lex watched as his baby sister almost threw herself at him. Having set the tray down on her bookshelf, he opened his arms to catch her. A moment later, her arms were around his neck, her face buried in between his neck and shoulder, as his own arms snaked around her waist to hold her up. An unspoken _I missed you_ made Lex tighten his hold around his sister. Lillian stood from the bed, crossing the small space to wrap both her children in a hug.

"My beautiful boy, when did you get here?" She asked quietly through the embrace.

"This morning. I had a break in my schedule and decided to surprise you." He said with a smile.

"I'm happy you're here." Sounded from Lex's shoulder, Lena's words muffled by both his shirt and her sore throat.

Kara busied herself with checking her phone for any messages. An _I love you_ followed by a _goodnight_ from Eliza was sent last night. From this morning, there was a missed call from Alex, followed by a _hope you two are doing okay_ sent shortly after.

_It's been a rough morning, but we're getting through it. ~K_

_That's good. Say hi for me? ~A_

_I will. Guess who showed up this morning? ~K_

_Who? ~A_

_Lex. He is surprise visiting them for the week from Metropolis. He couldn't have timed this any better. Lena needs something positive, and Lex being here will hopefully make her happier. ~K_

_That's cool. Big soon to be CEO visiting his baby sister. ~A_

_Yeah, we're about to have breakfast, Talk to you later. ~K_

_Alright. Love you. ~A_

_Love you too ~K_

Turning off her phone, Kara returned it to the nightstand. Returning her attention to the Luthor family, she helped set up the trays', so they could eat. With the help of Lex, the small hallway table was brought into the room, placed next to the bed so Lena and Lillian could sit comfortably on the bed while Lex took the desk chair, and Kara brought the chair from her guest room. Lex sat at one end of the table beside Lillian, while Kara sat a the other beside Lena.

"Alex says hi." The blonde says after a few bites of pancake. "She also says feel better soon." She added in a whisper to Lena. Nodding, Lena continued to push the pancakes around her plate. The rest of the meal went by in somewhat comfortable silence, a few words exchanged between Lex and Lillian. By the time everyone finished, Lena had only eaten a quarter of the pancakes and had half the hot chocolate. Glancing at her, Kara could tell she wasn't going to eat anymore. Gathering the plates, she stacked the two trays before putting the plates and cups on top. She could see Lex watching Lena with a curious expression. Carrying the trays out of the room, Kara turned before walking out sending Lena a smile before closing the door behind her. _I'm here for you._

Kara returned the trays to the kitchen where she decided to busy herself by helping clean up. Once the kitchen was cleaned and prepped for when lunch came around, Kara found herself back in her guest room. Paints were laid out on the desk beside her, an easel in front of her. Though the only view out the window was where the cars were parked, Kara knew she wouldn't be painting what she was seeing at the moment. Letting the soft music in her ears distract her she picked up the paintbrush, dipping it in the brown before dragging it across the canvas in front of her. Before she knew it, the dense forest was in front of her, minimal amounts of sunlight could be seen through the few breaks in leaves. a faceless creature could be seen behind one of the trees in the foreground, its soulless black eyes, barely distinguished from the dark green of its body and the darkness of the overall picture. They looked as though the were staring into her soul, bringing everything she feared to the forefront of her mind. She couldn't even imagine what Lena felt, sitting alone on the forest floor, her thoughts running wild through her mind like caged animals getting their first taste of freedom. She must have been afraid, no, terrified. Who would have thought to look in the woods? Certainly not Kara; but thank everything she did. Who knows how long Lena would have been out there if she didn't.

That's what terrified Kara the most. What if she hadn't thought of checking the woods. What if she overlooked where her best friend was, all alone, waiting for someone to save her from herself. As soon as Kara noticed Lena wasn't at the flagpole in front of the school waiting for her, she knew something was wrong. She had waited, thinking that Lena was just finishing up an assignment. But when 10 minutes passed, and there was no _sorry I'm running late_ text from Lena, or any form of communication for that matter, Kara knew the tiny voice telling her _something's wrong,_ was right. She texted one of Lena's friends, Jess, to see if she knew where Lena was. When Kara went to Lena's last class of the day, Advanced Calculus, she found Jess sitting there with Lena's stuff neatly in her bag. Jess had barely been able to finish telling her Lena hadn't come back from the bathroom since she left going on 30 minutes ago when Kara slung Lena's bag over her shoulder, thanked Jess, and began searching. She started by checking all the bathrooms since Jess had said that's where she went, but when they were empty she began looking through classrooms. Occasionally, she would bump into a teacher, asking them if they'd seen her friend. Each time she got a _no_ , or _not since class this morning._

Each negative answer got Kara more and more worried about her friend. Each no was terrifying to the blonde. Each and every one of them hit her like a truck, lowering her hopes and raising her anxiety. The roof was one of the last places she checked. She and Lena would sneak there after school all the time, even if only for a few minutes. They would sit, watching as everyone filed out of the building, going towards their various modes of getting home to enjoy their afternoon. It was when she was up there that she got a call from Alex asking where she was. _I can't find Lena_ , was all she had to say for Alex to meet her by the flagpole with her girlfriend. Sam listed off all the places she could be, Kara telling her Lena wasn't there to each and every one. The bathrooms. _No._ The locker room. _No._ The science lab. _No_ Kara had checked everywhere inside the building, even the roof. Everywhere she could think of led her to the same answer. _No, no, no, no._ A seemingly endless cycle of dead ends, none of them leading her any closer to the whereabouts of her best friend. The trio wandered the outside of the school. Rounding the corner to the football field Kara stared wide-eyed at the gap in the fence. The jocks were constantly kicking too hard, sending the football into the woods.

_The woods_.

With a rushed _stay here_ , Kara had bolted across the field leaving Alex and Sam staring at her retreating figure, confusion set on their brows. Kara didn't care to pay attention to them following her across the field before she stepped through the fence into the woods. Looking left and right, she could see a few popped footballs laying around, left to collect dirt and leaves, the jocks caring too little to at least throw them away. But that didn't matter, she had to find Lena. The most terrifying part was when she heard that weak voice calling back at her. The brokenness seeping right to her core. She ran as fast as she could to that weak plea for help. Fear crept like ice through her veins when she called again, only to be met with no response. She thanked any and every god she could think of when she saw the familiar face, but her relief was short lived. The state she had found her friend in scarred her, but she had to keep herself together. She couldn't break when Lena was lying shattered on the ground. She could see the blood, _oh God so much blood._ It dripped, pooled beside Lena's head, coating the already orange leaves in a thick crimson. The bruises. Why were there so many bruises? Her arms, a few small ones on her neck. There were some that Kara could see peeking out from under Lena's shirt, and on her waist. _Pants. Where are her pants?_ She had found them, a few feet away.

Getting Lena out of the woods and back home was the only thing Kara remembered from then on. Her fear had overwhelmed her, but she pushed it down. Keeping it buried under the need to get her friend help. She knew she would break, but she had to stave off the feeling for as long as she could. And she would. She would be whatever Lena needed her to be. She would do whatever she could to keep Lena from being afraid, even when her own fears clawed at her insides, her screams pushed so far down inside she forgot about them, even if only for a little while.

Minutes felt like hours as she stared at the painting in front of her. The monstrosity of her own mind, the fears that clawed at her insides sat there, behind the tree. Staring her down. _You failed her!_ Her mind screamed. _You promised to protect her, and you failed!_ Her music stopped, her headphones had moments ago fallen out, but she didn't notice, the onyx eyes of the monster she created staring into her soul, pulling everything forward. Every doubt she had about herself, every time she felt like she wouldn't make her parents proud. She knew Eliza and Jeremiah loved her but were they proud of her? Would her real parents be proud of her? She would never know. But the figure in the painting told her what she never wanted to hear. She hadn't even realized it was there until she had no room left on the canvas to add paint, so she stepped back, and there it was. It was then that she allowed herself to break, allowed herself to let go. She hadn't realized just how much she was holding back until a soft hand traced her spine. She had been staring at the darkness of the painting, tears carving their way down her face down to her chin, dripping onto who knows what. The floor, the chair, her knees had unknowingly been brought up to her chest, her arms wrapping tightly around them as she continued to stare. The warm hand from before traveled up and down her back as another one rested on her arm, the person kneeling beside her, silently urging her to look away from her creation.

"I'm so sorry" she mumbled as she buried her face in her knees, her head resting against her crossed forearms.

"It's not your fault," Lex spoke quietly, his hand continuing its somewhat comforting motion up and down her back.

"I should have been there" the blonde cried, her voice muffled by her legs.

"You couldn't have known. From what I understand, it was during the only class you have apart. How could you have known if you don't see each other during that time?" Lex reasoned softly. "Lena doesn't blame you" He added.

"Why not? I told her I'd always protect her." _Always._ "And I failed. I failed to... I failed her."

"She knows you would have if you knew. She blames herself." He looked down at the floor.

"Does she know who it was?" Kara asked quietly, lifting her head.

One look from Lex was all Kara needed.


	5. Understanding

She couldn't believe it. Scratch that. She could. They were always pushing her around. Why didn't she see it sooner? Now she understood the timing too. She was always stopping them, they always went after her when Kara was around. It made sense that they would find a way to get to her when Kara wasn't there to stop them. Her Friday had been going so well too, with all her assignments over and done. The only thing she needed to do was help Kara with her weekend project for her advanced art class. It was her last period of the day which always made Kara happy. Ending every day, and the week, with her favorite class. Unlike Lena, who had a class full of people who didn't care in an advanced setting. But that's what made Lena's days so much better. She could look forward to seeing Kara and her sunny personality, she would hear all about whatever it was that she painted that day, whether it be a simple piece of fruit or an extravagant landscape. The funny thing was, Lena felt like her day was going too well. She had yet to be shoved into a locker or yelled at to do some English paper. But as they say, all good things must come to an end.

There had been 10 minutes left before the final bell rang, and she asked to go to the restroom. Her assignment was finished over half an hour ago and she was bored. She wandered down the hall, every once in a while, seeing a painting Kara had done. Since they were abstract enough, and Kara's signature is almost hidden, the art teacher hung them up around the school. She had been looking at a fantasy landscape of Kara's, a futuristic-looking room with sleek skyscrapers seen through the window. The part that drew everyone in was the fact that the world was bathed in red sunlight, giving everything a red tint. Lena was amazed by Kara's ability to make everything look sleek and shiny, while also being bathed in a single color. That's when things went sideways. Her hair had been up in a ponytail, up until it was yanked, and she was thrown to the hard floor of the hallway. He stood over her, his child-like smirk in place as she tried to clear her vision. At the moment, there were two of him, and God knows one is already too much for her to handle.

Just when she thought things couldn't get any worse, two of his friends lifted her off the floor, each gripping her wrists much tighter than necessary. The one on her left, she didn't recognize him right away, clamped a rag of some sort muffling any and all sounds she made as they dragged her kicking but not quite screaming out the nearest exit. Everything happened in slow motion, the fence bordering the football field getting closer and closer as the two jocks carrying her followed him. Leading her to the darkness she would come to be terrified of. It was as if she went through a portal when they stepped through the fence. One second, she was trying to kick them off her, the next she was on the ground. She couldn't close her eyes. Not without seeing his smirk, his blue eyes staring down at her. His hands, holding her by her neck at first, moving slowly down past her chest down to her hips. One of his friends held her wrists above her head uncomfortably, doing nothing to ease the pain coming from the back of her head, his grip was tight. The other was holding her legs still, though he was struggling more than the other with the force of Lena's kicks. Her cries for help went unheard as the cloth kept any sound from escaping, filling her mouth with the bitter taste of dirt and gravel. Her kicks grew weaker as the pressure on her hips increased. She had no chance. She had no idea what to do, she couldn't move, the cloth made it hard to breathe, and everything hurt. She could tell everything was going to bruise, and it would be a pain to cover. The only thing she did know was that her fear was increasing, and her will to fight was long gone. Everything blurred together after that, her staring at the leaves, the two jocks letting her wrists and ankles go, only for her to lay there for the most part unresponsive to the change in pressure. She hadn't heard them laugh as they left her there, his childish grin looking down on her, drilling its way into her memory.

Kara finding her was both the best and worst thing for Lena. The best, because she would get out of the woods, home where she would rather be, curled up on her bed with a good book, a cup of hot chocolate on her side table. It was the worst because that meant her best friend found her in probably the scariest way possible. Seeing your friend bloody and bruised on the ground, that isn't easy, nowhere close. But for someone as happy and radiant as Kara Danvers, this sight had to be the worst thing her mind could never imagine. She couldn't thank Kara enough for saving her, but she would also apologize until she was blue in the face that she had to be found like that.

She was glad it was Saturday. She didn't have to worry about going to school. About facing him. _Him_. The dark corner of her mind never felt darker, his grin like the Cheshire cat's, looming in the shadows, waiting for her to close her eyes, waiting for her guard to be down. Saturday meant that Kara could stay all day, she just needed to gather the courage to leave her room. From what her mother told her, Kara wouldn't stop apologizing the previous day. Looking out her window, she could see Kara wasn't in the garden. The only other place she is when she's not with Lena is her room. Lena was probably more excited than Kara when Lillian said the room across from hers could be Kara's. Going to one of her drawers, she pulled out a pair of black fuzzy socks, slipping them onto her feet before padding across the hallway to see if Kara was there.

"I failed her." Came mumbled through the door, Lena could hear Lex's soft reassurances. He was right. She did blame herself. She should have fought harder. If she had only fought hard enough, she could have run, but she was weak. _There were three of them. What could I have done?_ Pulling herself out of the shadow clouding her mind, she knocked on Kara's door. She knew she could just walk in, she's done it before, but she already felt bad enough interrupting their conversation, though it had gone quiet for a few minutes.

A soft rattle of the handle and there was her brother, smiling down at her. Planting a kiss on her forehead, he made his way down the hall to his mother's room. _I love you._ Smiling at his retreating figure, she turned back to the room to see Kara curled up on a chair in front of her easel. From where she stood, she couldn't tell what the painting depicted. A few sniffles were heard as Lena entered the room. Coming up beside the blonde, Lena could see the whole picture. Knowing her friend, Lena knew that for the most part, she painted what was in her head, not what was right in front of her, this picture making it hard not to cry again. But she couldn't. Not again _._ She had to help the person that helped her. She had to be the strong one now. _Real funny Lena._ Pushing everything aside she kneeled next to Kara, resting a hand on her shaking arm, _I'm here. What's wrong?_

"I failed you. I'm so sorry, Lena."

"Hey, look at me." _It's not your fault._

"Isn't it?" Kara asked, turning her head so she was facing away. Lena looked down at her hands before standing.

"Come on. Get up." She said patting the blondes' arm. Slowly she stood up, keeping her gaze trained on the floor. Taking one of her hands, Lena led her to the bed along the far wall. Crawling onto the bed, she sat crisscross in the middle, pulling Kara so she sat in front of the brunette. "Look at me please, Kara."

Green eyes met blue and Lena could see the fear hiding in Kara's eyes. The same could be said for Kara. She could see the loneliness Lena felt the day before, sadness creeping down her spine. There was so much Kara wanted to say, but she couldn't figure out the words. _I'm sorry._ But that wasn't enough. It would never be enough. Not when it came to Lena. Not knowing what else to do, Kara closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around Lena's waist, burying her face in Lena's neck.


	6. Savior

The weekend passed much quicker than Lena would have liked. How was she supposed to go back, knowing he would be there? Waiting for her. She was able to spend the entire weekend with Kara watching movies, tinkering with new ideas, and just keeping her mind off what happened. But when Sunday night rolled around and Kara had to go home, everything rushed back to the surface. The tsunami of emotions she tried to bury flooded her mind as she lay alone in her bed staring at the glow in the dark stars on her ceiling. Every time she closed her eyes she was back in the woods. She could feel the hands on her waist, the cloth in her mouth, trapping her. _Breathe_. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't. She knew she was fine, but she couldn't get air into her lungs. Shooting up, her scream trapped in her throat, she fought to fill her lungs, her chest burning from the lack of oxygen. Shaky hands pushed the sheets away as she climbed off her bed, her trembling legs carrying her down the hall. She felt the darkness creep in around her, threatening to trap her in her nightmare. Laughter echoed in the corridor, his grin forcing its way into her mind's eye every time she blinked. The journey felt like a lifetime when she finally found herself in front of her Mother's room. Feeling like she did when she first moved into the Luthor mansion, she stood by the door, awaiting a response. A few padded steps came from behind the door before the rattle of the handle followed by the soft light coming through the cracked door.

"Lena? What's wrong?" The older woman asked quietly.

"I'm sorry," she started, barely above a whisper. "Can I- can I sleep in here tonight?" she hesitantly asked.

Opening her arms, Lillian invited the young girl into her room, closing the door behind them. Sitting on the edge of her bed, Lillian had her arm wrapped around Lena's shoulder, softly rubbing her upper arm.

"What's wrong my dear?" she asked softly, wiping the tears off her daughter's face.

"I'm scared Mom." The young girl whispered, clenching her fists in her lap. Squeezing her shoulder gently, Lillian lowered them, so they were laying down, reaching to the small table beside her bed, flicking off the light. Pulling up the sheets so they were both comfortable and covered, she planted a kiss on Lena's temple before whispering the young girl to sleep with soft reassurances. Only when she felt the muscles in her daughters back and shoulders soften did she allow herself to fall asleep, her arms wrapped protectively around Lena, holding her close. _Whoever did this to you, I'm so sorry my darling girl._

Morning came late to the Luthor women as the clock ticked past 9 in the morning, Lillian being the first to awaken. Her arms were still around Lena, the young girl holding her left arm as though it were a stuffed animal. There was no trace of the past night's fears on her face as she slept, her mouth slightly open with quiet, incomprehensible words slipping out as she continued to dream. Gently Lillian brushed a few strands of hair off Lena's face, her thumb tracing tiny circles on her temple. A deep breath and slight crinkle of her nose signaled the young girls awakening, her blue-green eyes opening to her Mother smiling beside her.

"Good morning Mother." She yawned, burying her face in the pillow. "what time is it?" she asked as they pulled themselves to seated positions, the sheets pushed off around their legs.

"A little after 9," Lillian said looking to the clock on her side table.

"Nine?! I'm late for school" the young brunette cried, fumbling with the sheets tangling around her legs as she attempted to kick them off.

"You're not going today." Her mother said, resting a hand on Lena's arm.

"I'm not?" She asked, hope creeping into her voice as she ran a hand through her messy hair, pushing it out of her face.

With a shake of her head, Lillian smiled, "We're spending the day with Lex while he's got time off. I already had him call the school last night. They know you won't be there today." Pushing the sheets off herself, she stood from the bed walking towards the connected bathroom. "You should get changed. Lex has something planned for us, but he hasn't said what it is yet. He's scheduled for us to meet him at 11, so we better get moving." She finished before disappearing behind the closed door.

Pushing the remnants of her fear aside, Lena climbed off her Mother's bed, padding back down the hall to her room to prepare for the day. Deciding on a shower, she headed into her bathroom with her outfit for the day, pulling off her pajamas, she could see all the wrapped-up parts of her arms, legs, and stomach. Taking off the bandages, she could see the dark purplish-blue bruises mapping her body. Stepping into the shower, she tried to keep from staring at them for too long. She couldn't tell which were worse, the ones or her wrists and ankles, or the ones on her stomach and ribs. Either way, they were going to be a pain to cover when she finally decided to go back to school. At least with the weather turning, she could blame sweaters and long sleeve shirts on the cold. She could easily cover her neck with scarves or high-collared shirts, but nothing could conceal the fact that she knew they were there. Nothing could hide the fact that her best friend had already seen them, knows who put them there. She'd most likely pass him in school today. Stepping out of the shower, she pulled on the faded jeans and green flannel she picked out. Brushing out her hair, she decided to let it air dry while she texted Kara.

_Good morning. ~L_

It only took a few minutes for her phone to chime with an incoming message.

_Good morning Lena! I hope you slept okay? ~K_

_I ended up sleeping with Mother, but otherwise yes, I slept well. ~L_

_I'm sure you've noticed, but I'm not coming to school today. ~L_

_As you shouldn't. I'm glad you're not. Sure, I'm missing you, but you can use the time away. ~K_

_Actually, Lex has apparently planned something for us today. I'm not sure what it is yet, but we're meeting him at 11. Mother seems excited. ~L_

_That's awesome! I'm sure whatever it is, you'll love it. Maybe, if there's time when you're done, I can stop by later? I'm collecting the assignments for you because I know how_ _much you hate getting behind. ~K_

_Thank you. I'll let you know when we get back home. ~L_

_I have to go, Mother's calling me. ~L_

_Have fun! Love you <3 ~K_

_Love you too :) ~L_

Dropping her phone in her backpack, Kara made her way towards her third-period class. Sitting at her usual seat in the back, she looked to the empty seat beside her where Lena usually sat. Sighing, she pulled out her textbook and a notebook while the other kids talked amongst each other. Some were talking about their weekends while some commented on the fact that Lena wasn't there. _She's never missed a day of school._ Someone in the front whispered, glancing back at the seat every once in a while.

"Luthor thinks she's better than us huh?" a deep voice came from beside the blonde, angry chills crawling down her spine as he rested one arm on the back of her chair while the other sat on her notebook, his fingers curling around the edge of the desk. "Thinks she's too smart to show up to class?" he added, his grin spreading in her peripheral. Uncurling his fingers, he brought his hand up to her chin, he directed her attention, so she was looking straight at him. "She's no better than the rest of us. She got what she deserved." Swatting his hand away as he laughed, she turned to yell at him, but before she could utter a single word, the teacher walked in the room pulling everyone's focus to the day's lesson.

Kara spent the entire class period fighting the urge to storm out. She knew all he was doing was trying to provoke her, and she was falling for it easily. He knew the buttons he needed to push, and he got every one of them. Time went by faster than she wanted, not having calmed down enough. While the majority of the class left the room for lunch, Kara stayed behind to collect the work for Lena, even if they were just doing a review. Of all days, today had to be Kara's unluckiest when it came to stuck-up jocks. After putting her textbook away with Lena's work, she tossed her backpack over her shoulder and made her way down the hall towards the cafeteria where she would meet up with Alex and Sam. She had no idea what they'd do for the whole hour they were given, but whatever they could come up with was thrown out the window when she rounded a corner, running into the last person she wanted to see. His smug grin plastered on his face as he leaned against the lockers beside the water fountain outside the cafeteria. Glancing in her direction, his smile only grew when his blue eyes met hers, his arms stuffed in his pockets, one foot propped behind him like he didn't have a care in the world. Averting her gaze, she tried avoiding any confrontation with him, knowing the outcome if she said anything to him.

"Danvers." Tensing, she shrugged off the hand on her shoulder without turning around. Calming herself she spoke as neutrally as she could

"What do you want Matthews?"

"Luthor's not here today. Looks like you're doing our work. See we've got a game today that we can't miss, so we've gotta make sure we can play."

"No thanks. Do it yourself." She stated, keeping her back to the trio. A hand on her wrist pulled her to face them. _Crap._

"What'd you say?" he snarled.

"I said," She started, staring icily into his eyes, "Do. It. Yourself." Tightening her grip on her backpack strap, she held back her anger, keeping her gaze as cold and calm as she could, angering him more.

With an angry shove, she was forced against the lockers he was previously leaning on. Finding it harder to think straight, she adjusted the strap on her arm. "Back off." She said, turning back towards the cafeteria.

"What. Too scared to fight us when Luthor's not around? It was almost too easy." He laughed before adding," her chicken of a savior wasn't there."

"Shut up."

"What? Can't handle the three of us?" he asked shrugging his shoulders. "Fine. I'll make it easy. Morgan and Max will stay out of it."

"What? You afraid Danvers?" grabbing her shoulder he spun her around.

"I said," She gripped the strap of her backpack tight, her knuckles going white. "Shut! Up!" swinging the bag as hard as she could off her shoulder, it flew directly towards his shoulder. The extra textbooks inside made it heavier than usual, the corners digging into his arm as it slammed into him, knocking him off balance. Landing on his back, he rolled onto his hands and knees before pushing himself off the floor, raising his fists. Watching as she tossed her bag aside, he waited carefully, unsure of what she would do next. Standing across from him, her thoughts screamed in her ears, filling her head with the guilt and rage of the past two days. The fear she saw in Lena's eyes as they prepared for bed. The way she had to hold Lena just so the younger girl could fall asleep at night. The bruises that littered her best friend's body, put there by the wretched figure before her. Before she knew it, she was across the hall, her fists pounding his chest and face as he struggled to push her off. The tears, streaming down her face, blurring her vision. She couldn't see where she was hitting, the only indication she was making contact being him flinching beneath her as her fists crashed into him erratically, without focus or care. Her knuckles hurt, and her throat was sore from screaming god knows what at him as her classmates watched, circling around the pair. She barely registered the arms holding her, pulling her off him as she continued to yell at him, screaming things nobody ever thought she'd say.

"Fuck you, Mike!" She forced her foot into his stomach as she was lifted off him by Alex and Susan, Sam putting herself between Kara and the boy on the ground.

"Kara. Kara, you need to calm down." She pleaded, trying her best to keep the blonde from seeing the person she just beat up.

"Kara, breathe sweetie." Alex's soft voice came from her right side as she brushed the hair out of her sister's face. Following Alex, Kara managed to steady her ragged breathing, forcing herself to look away from the boy on the floor. Max and Morgan were attempting to pick him up to take him to the nurse.

Minutes passed as Kara focused on breathing, staring at the floor in front of her. She barely registered what Sam and Alex were saying. Something about Susan getting band-aids? As her thoughts slowed down and she could focus a little better, she looked down at her hands, still fisted in her lap. Her knuckles were split and bleeding all over her tan pants and light blue button-up. Her wrists had small bruises from where they collided with his shoulders.

"What did I do?" She whispered, tears forming in her eyes. _What did I do, what did I do, what did I do?_ She muttered over and over again, her arms wrapping around her knees as she curled into a ball in the middle of the hallway floor. _What did I do?_ Her breathing became frantic and short as she struggled to make sense of what just happened. Did she really beat him up? Was she really capable of such actions? What would Lena think of her? What would Eliza think of her? _What would my parents think of me?_ Her breathing got more erratic as her mind clouded over, the voices of Alex and Sam sounding like they were coming from underwater. She was drowning, and no matter how hard she tried to swim to the surface, the darkness pulled her deeper and deeper as her lungs burned and her vision faded. 


	7. Distraction

Lex had the perfect day planned for his Mother and Sister. He'd met them for lunch at a small diner they frequented as children. He knew it was Lena's favorite place to go up until their father died. He had introduced it to them one year for Lena's birthday, and over time it went from where they had Lena's birthday dinners, to a place they went to once every two months when everyone was free. After that, he took them to the new museum that opened earlier in the year. Both Lena and Lillian had expressed an interest in going when they heard about the exhibits that were going to be built.

In the back seat of the car, Lena sat staring out the window as Lex drove them back to the Luthor mansion. A small bag of souvenirs sat at her feet. Small trinkets Lex got for her to mess with, knowing she would enjoy taking them apart and trying to put them back together again.

"Did you have fun today?" He asked, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. Glancing away from the passing trees, she smiled and nodded, a matching grin appearing on her brother's face. Taking out her phone she checked the time. _3:27_ Kara should be out of school.

_Hey. ~L_

Sending the message, she dropped her phone in her lap. The ride was quiet, the soft music from the radio and the occasional conversation between Lillian and Lex helping pass the time. All too soon, their journey was over, and Lex was pulling into a parking space beside the mansion.

_Hey Lena. ~K_

Running up to her room to put her new trinkets away, she sat on her bed to check her phone.

_How was your day? ~L_

_Fine. ~K_

_Are you sure? ~L_

_Yeah. How was yours? ~K_

_I had fun. Lex took us to that new museum. He got me some souvenirs I can tinker with. ~L_

_Cool! ~K_

_I'm sorry but I won't be able to come over... ~K_

_What? Why? ~L_

_I may have... kind of... gotten into a fight? ~K_

_A fight?! ~L_

_Are you okay? ~L_

_... ~K_

_I'm sorry. ~K_

_That doesn't answer my question. Are you okay? ~L_

_I'll be fine. I managed to break my finger... ~K_

_Your finger?! Kara, what were you thinking? ~L_

_Don't worry, his nose is broken too. ~K_

_Where are you? ~L_

_The uh... the hospital ~K_

_I'll come to you then. ~L_

_No, Lena, you don't have to. ~K_

_I'll be there in a few. ~L_

Staring at the screen, Kara knew she had to figure out how to tell Lena that she fought _him_. She had no idea how she was going to do that, but she knew she needed to. She also needed to figure out how she was going to tell Eliza. She managed to keep Alex from calling her on the way to the hospital, but she was sure the school called about her partaking in a fight. Eliza would no doubt be mad. Furious even. Kara had no idea what she was going to do. Would the Danvers want to keep her around? Is she someone capable of that kind of violence? Sure, she's never fought anyone on purpose, nor has she lost control as easily and quickly, but the fact that she now knows she can is scary to her. Sitting alone in her hospital room with nothing to distract her, her mind wanders back to the dark, her fears creeping in on her. Her mind is swirling with overwhelming thoughts as her knuckles throb and her fingers ache. Her wrists are sore and the headache forming in her temple begins to feel like needles, drilling into her forehead. Her focus becomes less and less clear as she struggles to come up with ideas. What can she say that won't upset anyone? How can she explain what happened without looking and feeling like a monster?

She doesn't think for much longer before a knock on the door interrupts her thoughts. Tensing on the bed, she winces when pain shoots up her left arm. _Kara?_ She hears from the other side of the door. She already knows who it is. She has no idea what she's going to do, but she knows she can't leave Lena standing outside forever. She's been told several times in past therapy sessions that no matter how long or far she runs, she cannot outrun her problems. And right now, she's faced with one of the toughest problems she could come across. Calling for Lena to come in, she watches as the door opens to her best friend.

"Hey." The brunette smiles, crossing the room to stand by Kara's side.

"Hey, Lena." The blonde says, keeping her eyes trained on the pale sheets of her hospital bed.

"How are you feeling?" Lena asks, placing a hand on Kara's shoulder.

"I'm fine" She nods, fighting the tears pooling in her eyes. Turning away from Lena, she feels the first drops trail down her cheek.

"Kara," sighing, Lena turns Kara's head, so they are looking at each other. "what's wrong?"

The tears flowed faster and stronger, her emotions were becoming too overwhelming and she couldn't hold back the sob that escaped. Her shoulders shook as she turned her head away from Lena once again, not wanting to see the look of disapproval she was sure she was going to get. 


	8. Exposure

**Warning: Somewhat explicit description of what happened**

* * *

Pacing in the hallway, Alex awaited the arrival of their mother, Eliza. Nothing could have prepared her for what her sister did. Nothing she could ever think of compared to what she did. The golden retriever puppy that is Kara Danvers isn't capable of beating someone up that bad. Is she? Alex didn't know what to think. Lena just came through looking for the blonde, the older sister opting to stay outside. As she made her millionth pass in front of the vending machine, a hand on her arm jolted her out of her thoughts. The voice of her mother pulled her out of her racing mind, the soft expression on the eldest Danvers calmed the teen.

"What happened?" Eliza asked as she pulled her daughter down onto one of the chairs lining the wide hallway.

"There was a fight at school. I only saw the end of it, but she beat up a boy and she looked really angry. I think he may have said something or done something to her." Alex spoke quietly.

"Is she okay? Did he hurt her?"

"I think it was more of hurting herself on him." The teen started. At her mother's confused expression, she continued. "She broke her index finger on his nose, which is broken as well. He's got a black eye and some other bruising, but they are both okay. For the most part."

"Which room is she in?" Eliza asked.

"402. Lena's in with her right now. She wasn't at school today, so she didn't know what happened."

Casting a sideways glance towards Alex the eldest Danvers asked, "Shall we go see what she has to say?" gesturing towards the door to Kara's room. With a nod, they cross the hall knocking on the door, hearing a nearly silent 'come in' before slowly entering.

Kara sat silently on the bed, the light blue sheets wrapped tight around her shoulders as Lena sat beside her, an arm wrapped around her shoulders in a side hug.

"Kara, sweetie, what happened?" Eliza asked reaching for the green cast covering the blonde's fingers and wrist.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." The tension in her shoulders grew as she curled even further into herself, her knees pulled tight against her chest as she clung to them like a lifeline.

Eliza looked to Lena, but the brunette shook her head. "She won't tell me what happened. Only that she hurt someone at school. Other than that, she just keeps apologizing."

"Kara, love, let us help you."

"He hurt Lena. He kept- and I couldn't- I'm so sorry." Burying her head in her knees, she sobbed into her arms.

"You beat up Mike?" Lena asked, surprised.

A tiny movement of conformation from the blonde caused Lena to wrap her arms tighter around her.

"Who's Mike? And what did he do to Lena?" Eliza asked.

"He's a uh, football player at school. He and his friends keep forcing me to do their work. Recently he um... he did something, and Kara blamed herself." Lena explained, looking to Alex for the rest.

"If you're saying what I think you are, then she beat him up because he said something about it, and it upset her. She was yelling a lot of, sorry mom, 'fuck you mike' when we were pulling her away." Alex added.

Looking between the three girls, Eliza thought about what they were telling her. After a few minutes she spoke, "So you're telling me this Mike boy has been bullying you and recently did something worse? And Kara got upset and beat him up?" nodding from the brunettes and a quiet apology from Kara, made the woman curious. "What did he do to you, Lena?"

"He um... he hit me and... uh- he, I'm sorry," the young girl's green eyes went glassy as she squeezed them shut. Feelings of fear and solitude came rushing back like a tidal wave as her grip around Kara tightened even further, her face burying itself into the blonde's shoulder. "Can my mom come in here?" She asked quietly.

"Of course, I saw her in the lobby, I'll go get her." Alex stood from her chair in the corner. Leaving the room, she could hear her mother's reassurances. Not knowing the full story, herself, she's worried about the young Luther. Sure, she doesn't talk to her much outside of school, but seeing her relationship with Kara, Lena's become like another younger sister, and Alex hates that stupid jock for hurting her. When she thinks about it, she can't help but feel a bit proud of her sister, albeit a tad upset that it wasn't her, but still. He got his ass handed to him by a girl, in front of half the school. As she navigated the halls back to the lobby, she couldn't help but remember the state they found Lena in. She's amazed by the fact that Lena's up and about. She knows how tough the Luthor is, but when Kara brought her out of the woods with all those bruises, Alex couldn't help but think the worst. She couldn't imagine finding her best friend that way, not to mention how she would feel if she found Sam that way. She would be furious.

Turning the corner, she spots Lillian sitting patiently but the water coolers. Crossing the brightly decorated room, she speaks softly as to not scare the woman. "Lillian."

"Hello Alex. How's your sister?" she asks standing from the creaky wooden chair.

"She's really upset with herself. I think she's punishing herself harder than mom ever would." Alex explains. "I actually came to ask you to join us in the room. Lena's asking for you." She adds.

"Is she alright?" The older woman asks, a tinge of worry seeming through her words.

"I think so. I'm not really sure. She was explaining something and got really upset and asked for you."

"Let's go then. We don't want to keep them upset now do we." Lillian says, gesturing for Alex to lead the way. The trip back to Kara's room is short, Alex knocking before they enter.

Eliza is sitting in the chair beside Kara's bed holding one of her hands as Lena holds the other, her head still buried in the blonde's shoulder. Lillian crosses the room quickly, resting a hand on Lena's shoulder in silent greeting. Alex retakes her seat in the corner after pulling a chair from the hallway for Lillian to sit.

"Can you tell us what happened?" The older Luthor asks quietly.

Holding her mother's hand in a vice grip, Lena starts the story of last Friday. Kara inputs some of the things they did together, including the painting she was excited to show Lena. When they get close to the end of the school day, Kara starts crying. Hearing what he had done feels like more knives in her chest than she thought possible.

"He had pulled me to the floor in the hallway while I was looking at one of Kara's paintings. Two guys grabbed my arms, pulling me from the floor and started dragging me outside. I tried yelling for help, hoping one of the English classes would hear me, but they shoved something in my mouth. I don't know what it was, but it was gross and kept anyone from hearing me. I tried to kick them off, but they are football players, I couldn't. They took me past the football field through the break in the fence." Taking a deep breath, the young Luthor wiped a few tears from her face as she continued her story.

"I don't know how far in they dragged me, but next thing I knew um... I was thrown against the ground. My hands were pinned above my head, I couldn't move. It hurt so much mom." She cried as Lillian wrapped her up in a hug.

"um. You're a doctor so I'm sure you figured it out but um... he ripped my pants off. I don't know exactly what happened, the two other guys were holding my arms and legs, and before I could try fighting him, he was- he was um.. i-in me, and I couldn't- I couldn't stop him. His hands pushed me to the ground when I tried to get away. I'm not sure when it stopped. I can't remember, but I can't get his face out of my head. I'm so scared mom, I can't go back to school. Please don't make me go back there." Lena finished, crying into her mother's shoulder, clinging to her like a koala.

Eliza stood from her chair beside the bed, stepping close to Lillian and Lena. "May I hug you?" She asked quietly. With a small nod from the teen, Eliza pulled her close, allowing the young girl to bury her head in her neck. She could feel the tears on her shoulder as she rubbed calming circles across her back, whispering softly to her.

Finally moving since Lena finished her story, Alex crawled onto the hospital bed beside Kara, who had curled back into herself. "Kara, hey, that wasn't your fault."

"But he hurt her Alex, I should've stopped him sooner."

"nobody saw this happening. I never would've imagined someone at our school doing this, but hey, you kicked his ass in front of over half the school. While yes you've been suspended for a week, he has the possibility of going to jail. He'll never hurt her again. Neither will the other two. I promise." Alex said, hugging her sister as she cried.

"We need to figure out what we are going to do from here," Lillian stated. "Kara's been suspended for a week, Lena's not going back for a while, and we need to get those boys straightened out."

"I'm sorry," Kara says quietly, more to herself than anyone. She's not sure what to do anymore. Her finger hurts, her heart feels like its been stabbed thirty times, and she's certain everyone in the room is mad at her. She can't see a way out of this without losing someone, and she can't imagine what she would do without any of them.

"Nobody is punishing you, dear. We can see you are doing that just fine on your own." Eliza said calmly. "I'm letting it go this time, but you do need to know you can't go around punching people when they upset you." Nodding, Kara wipes her the tear tracks of her face as more are slowly trailing down.

"What are we going to do?" She asks looking to Lena. The brunette is sitting on the foot of the bed, curled into her mother's side.

"First, we are going to get some rest. Tomorrow we can figure out the authorities and how to get those boys put away. Alex can get your work from school, as well as turn in the note that will say you, Lena, are out sick." Lillian decides. "We will see what happens from there, but if you continue to not feel comfortable going back, I can work out transferring you to a new school."

Staring at the floor, Kara tries to hide the tears building at the mention of Lena possibly moving away. she doesn't have to fight hard to get them to go away. Just the thought of how she failed her best friend recently clears them right up. She can't help but feel like she no longer deserves the brilliant green-eyed girl in her life. Who would want someone that breaks promises?

"Kara?" Eliza calls out.

Lifting her gaze from the floor she looks around the room. "Yeah?"

"How would you like to spend a few days in the Luthor mansion. Eliza and Alex are welcome to come as well." Lillian offers.

"I'm... um... are you sure that's the best idea?" Kara asks. "I mean, aren't I dangerous?"

"What makes you think that?" Alex asks with a giggle.

"I hurt Mike. Why would you want me in your home?" Kara deadpans.

"Just because you hurt one person over the idea of protecting someone doesn't mean that's all you will do. If anything, I think it's a great idea." Eliza says.

"Besides, you'll be right across from me. How could you protect me from across town?" Lena jokes, scooting closer to the blonde.

"Can we mom?" The teen asks her puppy eyes in full effect.

"I'm alright with it. I've always wanted to visit the Luthor castle you speak so highly of. Maybe I'll even meet that beautiful princess you keep gushing about." Eliza jokes.

"Mom," Kara whines, burying her face in her hand. Lillian and Lena laugh while Alex hops off the side of the bed.

"Shall we get out of here?" the older teen asks holding the door for everyone.

"Alright kiddo, let's get you signed out and packed up so we can travel to the mystical castle."

"Stop it, mom," Kara laughs sliding off the side of the bed, following the group to the receptionist's desk. Filling out the paperwork, Eliza gathers the pain medicine for Kara to take before they all leave the hospital. The Danvers go home to pack before meeting Lillian and Lena at a local diner.


	9. Predicament

Lena was, to put it simply, excited for the week ahead. Considering the broken finger her best friend was sporting, she couldn't help but use the time she had preparing the guest rooms to come up with things for them to do. While she was setting up the room for Alex, she started thinking about the circumstances that led her here. The mild-mannered personification of a golden retriever puppy breaking her finger was surprising enough. But for her to do so fighting was not something she would ever believe. Not to mention it was the slimeball's face she broke it on. Part of her wished she was there to see it, while the rest of her is relieved she wasn't. She couldn't imagine just how far things could have possibly gone if she were there. Besides, she got to spend the day with her family. Finishing up Alex's room, she moved on to clean up Kara's. Opening the door to her friend's room, she came face-to-face with the dark painting. While she knows it is a beautiful piece, the story behind it is too much for her to handle at the moment. So, she takes the nearest blanket and drapes it over the easel before cleaning up the nearly nonexistent mess.

Finishing up the room preparation, Lena finds herself in the kitchen with her mother, both with a cup of hot chocolate. Dropping a few marshmallows in the mugs, Lillian hands one to Lena before directing them to the living room. On one end of the couch, Lillian sits with a blanket draped over her lap and a worn book in her hands. On the other, Lena curls her legs beneath her, clutching the warm mug to her chest, blowing on it softly before taking a sip. Her phone buzzing on her lap alerted her of an incoming message from Kara.

"Kara texted me. They are about ten minutes away." Lena speaks softly putting her phone face down on the side table. Placing a bookmark between the pages of her book, Lillian closes it and turns to her daughter.

"Before they get here, I want to thank you for telling me what happened. I know I haven't been the best mother lately, prioritizing work, but I'm glad to see you still feel comfortable coming to me." The older Luthor says quietly.

"Of course, Mother. Thank you for letting Kara and her family stay here."

"I think it will be good for you. Being surrounded by the people you love. Besides, you speak so highly of Kara, I'd like to get to know her better." Looking into her mug, Lillian sees a real smile make its way onto her daughter's face for the first time in two days. Sliding closer to her mother, Lena lays her head on Lillian's shoulder sipping her hot chocolate carefully. Picking up her book, Lillian removes the bookmark before mindlessly running her hand through her daughter's hair. For a few quiet minutes, Lena listens to Lillian's soft reading, hot chocolate gone, hands curled into the blanket. Lena loves this time with her mother. Sure, they aren't doing anything but reading, but she misses the time they used to spend together. She understands how important a doctor's work is, but she also hates how time-consuming it is, so she cherishes these, albeit short, moments.

Lena knows that she's going to have to tell Lex what happened. She could feel the curiosity that he, thankfully, didn't voice. But that doesn't mean she can keep him in the dark. It's not fair to him. Besides, she's always told him everything. Since the Luthor's adopted her at age four she's been nearly glued to Lex. Following him everywhere, learning from him. Before she met Kara, Lex was her confidant. The person she went to for everything. Advice, help, an uplifting story, he did it all. She's just afraid of how he will react, he has always been protective of her. She remembers a time when her elementary school was at recess, and someone pushed her during a game of tag. She had chalked it up to them being rowdy seven-year old's, and not knowing much better. But Lex, on the other hand, had a long talk with the other kid about being more careful and to be more aware of their surroundings. It wasn't much but Lena liked to joke that Lex was her knight in a well-ironed suit. His middle school had a uniform that consisted of a navy-blue suit with the crest on the left side and matching pants. While the shoes didn't matter, Lex liked to be proper like their father, so he got dress shoes to match his outfit.

Their moment of peace is halted by Lena's phone buzzing with an incoming text, followed shortly by an excited knock at the door.

_We're outside ~K_

Going to the door, Lillian greets the trio, and before the blonde has a chance to sneak away, the older Luthor pulls her into the kitchen. Blue eyes stay downcast as Kara waits for Lillian to speak. Several moments of silence pass and the blonde feels like this is where Lillian tells her she can't be around Lena anymore, and this week is just a way for her to say goodbye before taking Lena and moving away. She knew the second she realized what she was doing, the blood on her knuckles, the hands gripping her arms, yanking her backward. Everything was over for her.

She messed up.

Royally.

And she's not sure what she can do to fix it. No matter how many times she apologizes to the people around her, she doesn't feel like it's enough for herself. When she found out Mike's nose was broken, and the number of bruises that littered his face, she couldn't help but be somewhat proud of herself. Only to turn around and hate herself more. Sure, he deserved it, he hurt Lena. But that doesn't mean she needed to beat him up. And now she's not only kicked out of school for a week but possibly her best friend's life. For what will possibly be forever.

She hates how Mike made it so easy for her to break. He knew all the right buttons to press, knew exactly how to get her to turn on him, and used it to his advantage. He knew to say anything about Lena would instantly set her off, using the classroom as a great time to work her up before cornering her in the hallway. She hates how easily she fell for it. She hates how quick she was to swing, no matter what reason she had for doing so.

The young Danvers speaks when the silence feels like too much, "I'm really sorry Ms. Luthor. I know I messed up, and I know I don't deserve to be Lena's friend anymore. I messed up the one thing I promised her, and I hate myself for it. I understand if you don't want me in your daughter's life anymore."

With a laugh, Lillian draws Kara's attention from the floor. "I'm not kicking you out of her life. That would be rude, and highly unnecessary. I do, however, want to ask you something."

Tensing, Kara looks expectantly at the older woman, trying to hide the nervousness she feels. What could Lillian possibly want to ask her?

"How do you feel about my daughter?" The simplicity of the delivery overlays the complexity of the answer that forces itself to the forefront of Kara's mind. She's never really thought about it. There is a lot for Kara to consider in regard to how she feels about someone. Having lost her family before the Danvers adopted her, she's been afraid of connecting with people. Afraid that they too will leave her. But all of that went away when she met Lena. The green-eyed girl that changed her life forever. She's the biggest reason Kara wakes up every day, looking forward to seeing her at school, knowing she'll be there. That is one thing she loves about Lena, she never misses school, so Kara's never alone. It makes her feel bad when she gets sick and misses a day, but Lena's always there after school to tell her about the day she had. She loves the way Lena can go on and on about science and never lose the blonde. She always makes sure Kara understands her. She loves how Lena sneaks extra marshmallows in her hot chocolate, knowing how much Kara loves junk food. She loves how, no matter how much she hides it, she lets Kara see every side of her. The hurt she hides at school when people are being extra hateful. The laughter they share when Kara shows her something she pretends to dislike. Kara never considers just how strong her feelings towards her best friend really are. She knows how important the brunette is in her life, so much so that she can't imagine a day without her. So, she blurts the first thing that comes to mind.

"I love her." Her ocean eyes reflected the lights of the kitchen as she stared unwaveringly into Lillian's green. "I hate myself for allowing her to be hurt, but if I have to hide how I feel for her to be happy, so be it, but I love her and will do anything for her."

Smiling, Lillian pulls the young artist into a hug before saying, "you are not to blame for what happened to her. I know you would have protected her had you been there, but now we can save future people from him. I'm not saying he's ever done anything like this before, but we are keeping him from doing it in the future." Nodding into Lillian's shoulder, Kara wraps her arms around the older woman's back. "Now, Lena's got your room all cleaned up and I think she's giving your mother and sister a tour of the house. How's about we make some dinner for when she's done, and we can all eat."

"What should we make?"

"I've got an idea," Lillian says with a grin before searching through the cabinets, pulling out various ingredients and setting them on the counter. "We'll make Lena's favorite meal." With a nod, Kara moved to stand beside Lillian as they began preparations for their meal.

An hour of preparation and cooking later and the duo were waiting for the timer to go off. Setting the table, Kara could hear Eliza laughing as three sets of footsteps came down the stairs.

"You have a lovely house, Lena." She heard her mother say as they made their way into the dining room.

"Look at you being all fancy Kara. What's all this?" Alex asked. Moving to pull the chairs out for everyone, Kara helped everyone get seated. Once Lena was sitting, Kara made her way back towards the kitchen.

"Ms. Luthor and I made dinner." She smiled before slipping through the door where Lillian was plating. Finding one of the serving trays the staff liked to use, Kara moved the plates onto it before gesturing for Lillian to go ahead and sit. Balancing the tray on one hand, she decided to make a dramatic entrance, setting everyone's plates in front of them as though they were at a fancy restaurant.

Gentle conversations filled the air as the adults talked science and the teenagers tried to decide what to do for the week. All too soon dinner was over, and everyone headed to their separate rooms for bed. The week went by slowly, while also too quickly.

Alex would go to their classes and get the work they missed. She and Sam would return after school and they would decide what to do before Alex had to bring her home at the end of the day. They had pillow fights and movie marathons. Fort contests and hide and seek. A few nights found Lena sneaking into Kara's room when the nightmares got to be too much to handle. While it hurt her to see her friend so upset, she was happy to hold her while she cried and after she fell back asleep. The nagging feeling that Lena would be too uncomfortable to return to school kept itself planted in the back of her mind, but she managed to keep it away for the week. They had gotten Lena's story to the police and they were working on removing him and his friends from the building, but Kara was afraid that even though they wouldn't be there anymore, just being in the building would be too much. She'd be lying to herself if she were to say that it wasn't too much for herself, and she wasn't a victim like Lena was. She decided that no matter what, she would support Lena's decision, even if that meant the green-eyed girl moving away.   
  


* * *

  
  


It was Saturday afternoon, and Lillian and Lena left almost abruptly, leaving Eliza and Kara in the house while Alex was on a date with Sam. Kara had shown her mother the gardens, a nearly hidden room she liked to hide some of her paintings in and was leading the older blonde to the at-home theatre when the Luthor's returned. Passing through the living room, they found Lillian holding Lena in a tight hug before ushering her upstairs.

"I'll be up in a moment," Lillian said before turning to Kara and Eliza, a sad look overtaking her features.

"Is she okay?" Kara asked quickly, moving to follow her best friend.

"She'll be alright, but I think she needs some time."

With the look of a kicked puppy, Kara stepped back beside Eliza as Lillian turned to follow her daughter. With a frown, Kara looked to her mother who wrapped her in a hug. "I'm sure she'll talk to you about it later. Now, you were about to show me one of the best rooms in the house? I better be impressed."

Taking her mother's hand, Kara led the older woman to a fairly large room with a sloped floor lined with four rows of five chairs, and a large screen covering the majority of one wall. On the adjacent walls were speakers, and the opposite had a small projector room with shelves full of movies and tv shows. "Lena and I come here all the time to marathon her favorite shows. Sometimes we hook up her laptop and watch Netflix. Other times we just blast music and dance in the space in front of the seats."

"Sound's like you two have a lot of fun in here."

"Yeah. I'm afraid she's going to want to move away." The teen admits, dropping sadly into one of the front row seats.

"Even if that is what she decides, I doubt she would go far. You two are far too close for anything to get between you." Eliza speaks calmly as she moves to sit beside Kara.

"If I were anyone else, I'd think you two were dating." Comes a voice from the door. The duo turns to see Alex meandering the rows so she can stand behind Kara. "I for one think she will be okay. As long as she has you, she can get through anything. She's a fighter."

"Thanks, Alex," Kara says reaching above her in an awkward backward hug.

"I don't know about you two, but I'm going to head to bed," Eliza says getting up from her chair. The teens follow shortly after, making their way into their own rooms for the night. changing into some grey sweatpants and a green tank-top, Kara crawls into bed, setting her glasses on the side table. Flicking the lights off she burrows deep into the blankets before drifting off to sleep.


	10. Terror

It's dark. She's surrounded by trees, and she can't see much past the ones right beside her. A voice calls to her in the distance, but the urge to run overpowers her. Fear courses through her veins like blood, her feet moving faster than she can think, propelling her through the forest. Roots, sticks, and leaves dig into her feet as she weaves between the monstrous towers of bark threatening to trip her. To stop her from getting away from whatever it is chasing her. The voice is far away, but the eyes are everywhere. Staring at her, looking deep into her soul, burrowing their way into her thoughts until she can't remember which direction she was going. Her thoughts run wild as she tries to remember how she got here, why she's being followed, but the only thing she gets is fear. Sheer terror as she subconsciously wills herself to keep going as the fatigue seeps into her bones. She doesn't know how long she's been running, but the ache in her feet, the soreness of her legs, and the burning in her lungs tells her it has been a while. The voice gets closer. But it's different from the other one. Lighter. Less chill-inducing. A feeling of safety washes over her as the new voice continues to direct her. Almost like a light, she knows where to go. The ache in her bones fades as she hears the voice get closer and closer. Her surroundings become clearer; she can see more of where she's going and can avoid the threatening roots.

The voice she's been following sounds again, but it's different. Sinister. Finding herself at a break in the seemingly never-ending forest, she steps out into the expanse. The raging waterfall tumbles gracefully over the side of a deadly looking cliffside, spilling into a shimmering lake surrounded by nothing but grass and flowers, sparse saplings hoping to one day grow into the large towers she just escaped from.

_There you are._

She whips around, coming face to face with a set of eyes. The sickly shade of blue she's come to hate. Not the warm, inviting, almost celestial blue of her best friends, but the murky, almost overcast shade that sends chills down her spine and churns her stomach. The urge to scream overpowers her as his hand covers her mouth. Like the Cheshire cat, his sickening grin forms as his free hand travels down her arm, finding its way to her hip, resting just above the waistband of her jeans. Hooking his leg around her ankle, he knocks her onto her back before pinning her to the ground. Pain shoots through her shoulders as her cries are muffled by his hand. She tries to shove him off, but he's too strong for her. Not after she's just spent who knows how long-running. The roar of the waterfall pounds in her ears as he continues to trail his free hand up and down her sides, pushing it ever so slightly into her stomach before moving it back over her ribs. Every few passes, he presses harder and harder into her stomach, making her feel like a stress ball each time the pressure increases. 

_Feel that?_

His laughter echo's in her ears as she attempts to get away from him. His knees press into her wrists, trapping them at her sides. The rest of his weight holds her legs as he removes his hand from her mouth, her cries becoming instantly more audible, though still hard to hear over the rushing water. Both of his hands find themselves at her neck, resting at the collar of her shirt, his thumbs swiping across the exposed skin with an unnerving gentleness. His fingertips lightly trace the curve of her neck, trailing their final path down her sides as he loops his fingers through the belt loops on her jeans.

_I did this to you._

She knows it going to hurt, but she's got no choice. She knows, either way, she's not going to survive. Using the minimal will-power she has, she propels her torso off the ground, connecting her forehead with his chin, the force startling her as she lands back on the ground. Eyes squeezed shut she feels the weight lift from her wrists as he falls backward gripping his jaw. With this newfound freedom, adrenaline courses through her as she pushes up from the ground pulling herself out from under him. The surprise movement sends him rolling as she makes to stand. Without giving herself time to think, she starts running once again, the adrenaline fueling her more than before. Following the river, she gets closer and closer to the edge. She can hear him calling out to her. Screaming for her to go back to him, but she doesn't listen. With her stomach in knots and her heart in her throat, she launches herself over the edge. Knowing there is no way she could survive, she allows herself to think of the one person she would go to. The one person she would have stopped for. The only one that could save her but didn't know. She doesn't blame her. No. she can't. Nobody could have known she was in danger. She only wished she could see that ray of sunshine one more time. Just one more and she would be able to leave happily. But she couldn't. As her tears mixed with that of the waterfall, she watched the sky get farther away. The stars shining happily above her, knowing that pretty soon, she would be up there too.

Casting aside all rational thoughts, she allowed herself to be surrounded by the good things that came to mind. The picnics with her birth mother and the way she smelled of pine and cinnamon. The times she spent with her father. The way Lionel taught her to believe in herself, and that if she did, she could do anything. She thought of the way Lex made her feel like a part of the family from the day she walked into that mansion, clutching her teddy bear for dear life. The way Lillian kneeled in front of her, wiping the tears off her face telling her everything would be okay. She thought of the day she met the artist that became her best friend. The day she sat alone outside instead of in the classroom. The blonde had come running up to her asking if she had a band-aid. She had scraped her knee playing some sort of recess game nobody had ever wanted to include the brunette in. From her NASA backpack, she pulled a band-aid and cleaning wipe. From that day on they had been inseparable.

The lake engulfed her as a searing pain ripped its way through her, a scream clawing its way out of her throat, instantly filling her lungs with water. Her tears continued to mix with the water around her as her lungs burned for air and her vision clouded. Her back was screaming from the impact and her throat was on fire as she tried to find the tiniest bit of oxygen to hold on to, but her consciousness was slipping too quickly for her to grasp.

Letting out one final cry, calmness washed over her as she let go, slipping into the darkness.


	11. Torment

Waking up with a gasp, the brunette fumbles in the dark, flipping on the light beside the bed. Taking in the room around her, she wills her mind to calm down, her heart to slow its near-critical rate. Taking a few deep breaths, she pushes the covers off herself, the chill of the room enveloping her, napping at her through her thin pajamas. Padding across the room to her dresser she pulls on a pair of fuzzy socks. The door to her room opens with a creek, the light from the hallway spilling in. Crossing the hall to the door adjacent to hers, she paces the hall in front of the wooden barrier.

_It's 2 a.m. She's asleep. What are you even doing out here; go back to your own room and just sleep it off._

A door opening breaks her from her thoughts, forcing her feet to a stop a few paces from the dark room.

"Lena?" A tired raspy voice cuts through the silence. "What are you doing out here, awake?" The blonde asks.

"I could ask you the same thing." She quips. "I couldn't sleep." The younger girl whispers, her gaze unmoving from the carpeted floor of the hallway.

"I'm sorry. I'll go back to my room; I didn't mean to wake you."

Turning away, she startles when a warm hand closes around her wrist. Before she knows it she's flinching away from the touch, a ghost of the rough hands pushing her down forcing their way to the forefront of her brain. Not a moment later she remembers where she is, and that Kara would never hurt her that she wills herself to relax in the gentle embrace.

"What's wrong Lena?" Kara asks, softer this time.

"I'm sorry. I just had a nightmare and didn't want to be alone."

Gently pulling on the shorter girl's wrist, Kara leads Lena into her room, bringing the duo to her bed, sitting on the edge.

"How about you try sleeping in here?" The blonde suggested watching as the younger girl tried to hide a yawn behind her hand. With a nod, the pair crawled underneath Kara's many layers of blankets, Kara's casted arm reaching to turn the light beside them off.

"Good night Lena."

"Good night Kara."

Resting her head on the pillow beside Kara's shoulder, the brunette feels Kara's arms snake around her waist in a loose hold. She registers a pair of soft lips on the crown of her head before she lets herself succumb to the pull of sleep.

* * *

The morning sun forced its way through the smallest of gaps in the window curtains, shining across the bed. Turning away from the bright light, the blonde found it slightly hard to move. Glancing down, she found her best friends head laying on her shoulder, her pale arms wrapped around her waist, imitating that of a koala. Amongst the tiny puffs of warm air ghosting across her collarbone, the softest of sounds emerged from the younger girls parted lips, and Kara knew she had never seen or heard anything quite as adorable than that of her best friend asleep on her chest. Not wanting to wake her up, she reached as slowly and carefully as she could for her phone on the nightstand. Pulling the cord out, she returned to her position as Lena's pillow, making sure the girl was still asleep. Certain that she wouldn't wake up, she clicked her phone on, seeing two new messages from James and Winn.

James – _good morning. I hope you're doing alright._

Winn – _Heya Kara! I hope your arm is okay._

_Mikes' friends haven't messed with me or James yet today._

_I think you really scared them off so, Thank you!_

_Feel better soon._

_Tell Lena we miss her. See you two next week!_

Sending them both a good morning text, Kara clicked off her phone just in time for a hesitant knock to come from her door. Watching it open slightly, she saw Lillian peek her head through, eyes trailing throughout the room before landing on Lena.

"There she is." A look of relief crossed the older woman's face before a smile overtook her features.

"I found her outside pacing the hall last night. I brought her in here after she said she didn't want to be alone. I hope that's alright." The blonde whispered, suddenly feeling self-conscious about the position they were in.

"It's perfectly alright dear. We both know how particular and closed off she can be. I'm just glad she is comfortable enough to go to someone other than me when she is upset."

"You know I only want what is best for her."

"I know you do honey. How about I go get some breakfast started and the two of you can join me and your mother when our girl here wakes up."

"That would be nice. Thank you, Ms. Luthor.'

Stepping back out into the hall, Lillian sent Kara another soft smile before shutting the door with a soft click.

Laying as still as she could, she watched as Lena's chest rose and fell rhythmically, her features appearing softer than they ever do when she's awake. The bruises on her collar and wrists stand out on her pale skin, Kara need only imagine the ones on her stomach. No matter how much she tries not to think about it, every time she closes her eyes, she imagines what would have happened if she didn't find Lena. A cold chill running up her spine at the thought of the younger girl laying in the woods. How long would it have taken for Lena to move? The state Kara found her in, the blonde knew she had given up.

That was something that Kara always admired about Lena. How she never seemed to give up. No matter what, she would do whatever it took to get something done. No matter how many times she failed at finding the right formula or messed up an experiment with Lex; she pushed through until she got where she wanted to be. That's what surprised Kara the most when she found Lena. How the brunette had resigned to laying there for God knows how long. When her voice broke in the syllables of Kara's name, that's when the blonde knew for sure.

Kara knew she would do anything for Lena. Even going to the ends of the earth to protect the girl was low on the list of things Kara would do for her. She would go to space if Lena wanted her to. Bring her back a star if it would make the brunette happy.

(Granted she knew Lena would never ask her to do such a thing – but if she ever wanted it, Kara would be there.)

Pale arms tightening around her waist pulled her out of her thoughts. Ignoring the few tears rolling down her cheeks, she focused her attention on the girl in her arms, the tiny whimpers and furrowed brows propelling the blonde into action. Wrapping her own arms softly around Lena, Kara made sure she had enough room to move if she wanted to without the shorter girl feeling constricted. Resting her chin against the top of Lena's head, she started softly talking to the brunette. Stroking her thumb up and down Lena's shoulder, she spoke softly, gently coaxing the girl awake.

"It's okay Lena. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. I will always protect you. I won't fail you again. Come to me. You're safe." Kara repeated it over and over, as many times as she needed to. Partly for herself, but mostly for Lena.

The brunette woke to her face buried in Kara's chest, hugging the taller girl tighter than she thought. The blonde's soft voice filtered through the noise filling her head, pulling her out of her dreams. Reveling in the warmth that resonated from Kara, she allowed herself a minute to just lay there, listening to the blonde.

"You're safe Lena. I love you so much." The brunette felt Kara's arms tighten around her smaller frame, the softest of cries into her hair pushing her to respond.

"You're alright Kara." She said, her voice muffled both by sleep and Kara's shirt. She loosened her hold on Kara just enough to look up and the face of her best friend, pushing golden strands away from her face. Running her thumb across Kara's cheek, she brushed away the tears that continued to fall. A few passes of her thumb and Kara's tears slowed to occasional sniffles, but Lena's thumb didn't stop.

"What's wrong?" She asked, her green eyes softening even more at the look in Kara's blue ones.

"Nothing. I'm just really glad you're here. I'm really happy I found you." With a watery smile, Kara pressed a kiss to Lena's forehead before moving to sit up. "Come on. Your mom started breakfast about 15 minutes ago."

Sitting up with her, Lena rested her head on Kara's shoulder, relishing in the warmth the blonde radiated. She momentarily tightened her hold on the taller girl, her forehead resting against Kara's neck.

"Come on. Let's go get some breakfast."

"Okay." Climbing out of the cocoon of warmth, Kara moved to her dresser in search of something to wear while Lena migrated back to her room to do the same.

* * *

10 minutes later finds both girls walking out of their rooms in nearly matching outfits consisting of dark wash jeans, Lena in a dark green flannel and Kara in a light blue one, both in white converse and thick-rimmed glasses. Lena's hair is in waves cascading down her back while Kara's is in a high ponytail.

Walking downstairs together, they find Eliza and Lillian sitting at the dining room table holding steaming mugs of hot chocolate.

"Good morning girls," Eliza says when they walk in the room, Lillian turning to greet them as well.

Taking a seat beside Lillian, Lena leans on her mother's shoulder, an arm wrapping around her small frame.

"Good morning dear," Lillian says, pressing a kiss to her daughter's head, smiling at Kara who has moved to sit beside Eliza.

"How'd you two sleep?" Eliza asks.

"Good." Kara smiles at Lena across the table.

"Better than I have in the last few days." The brunette said, crimson cheeks hidden by her hair as she buried her face in Lillian's shoulder.

"Who's ready for breakfast?" Kara asks, standing from the table, moving to the kitchen.

"Let me help you," Lillian says, ushering Lena to sit beside Eliza while they got everyone's plates.

In the kitchen, Kara found a stack of waffles sitting on a plate in the oven, various toping's laid across the island. Plating two for herself and one for Lena, she topped hers with nearly everything, and Lena's the way she knew the brunette liked it.

"How does your mother like hers?" Lillian asked, breaking the relaxed silence between them.

"Just some syrup and berries on the side. She likes simple. Just like Lena." Kara said with a ghost of a smile on her face.

"You know you're the first right?" Lillian comments mindlessly. Spooning raspberries only Eliza's plate.

"What do you mean?" The blonde asks, her hand hovering over the syrup.

"You're the first person that Lena trusts to go to outside this family." She shook her head before continuing, "What am I saying; you've even come before some members of the family. Only with me and Lex has Lena been open about her true feelings. We both know she hides her fear behind layers of indifference, often focusing on other things. But she's only ever allowed herself to be truly vulnerable with me." Pouring syrup onto Lena's waffle, she listened as Lillian talked softly about Lena. A look she couldn't decipher crossed the older woman's face, leaving as fast as it came.

"What I am trying to say is, thank you for helping her. You may not notice, she may not either, but she's been happier with you around. She's had a lot of – emotions – about certain things that she's been afraid to share with people. But she opens up a lot more with you. And I'm glad she has you. So, thank you for staying."

"There's nowhere else I would rather be Ms. Luthor," Kara states, her gaze meeting Lillian's across the island.

"I think we're ready. Shall we?" Lillian says with a smile, gesturing to the dining room where Lena and Eliza are talking softly. With a nod, Kara sets her plate, along with Lena's, on a tray. Using her casted arm for support, she carries the plates and two mugs of hot chocolate out to the table, setting one of each in front of Lena before moving her own off the tray.

"So, what are your plans for the day girls?" Lillian asks after a few minutes.

"I thought we could do yesterday's schoolwork, then whatever Lena wants to do." Kara hesitantly says, looking to Lena.

"That sounds good. Maybe we can all watch a movie?" the brunette suggests.

"I should have time to watch a movie before work." The older blonde says as she stabs her last piece of waffle.

"Sounds like a plan." Lillian agrees.

* * *

The rest of breakfast went by quickly and quietly, Eliza and Lillian taking everyone's plates while Kara and Lena moved to the study to do their schoolwork. A lot of Kara's ended up being written by Lena seeing as her writing hand was covered in green plaster. Just over an hour later all four women stood outside the designated movie room. The two Luthor women moved about the room, making sure all the speakers and lights were working properly while the two Danvers women scanned the hundreds of movies available.

In the room Kara liked to call tech corner - otherwise known as the room with the projector and sound controls - Lena and Lillian sat watching the blondes. 

"I'm sorry I didn't go to you last night," Lena says quietly. Had the room not been so quiet, Lillian wouldn't have heard her. Turning to her daughter, a look of confusion settled on the older woman's face.

"I didn't want to keep disturbing you when I know you have work later today too. I didn't want to keep you up later than I had to." Lena explained timidly.

"There's no need to apologize dear. And you would not have bothered me in the slightest. I'm just glad you went to someone instead of keeping yourself awake all night since I know that's something you do when you don't want to bother me." At Lena's puzzled expression she continued, "Don't think I don't notice dear. You're my daughter. I know when you aren't getting enough sleep."

"I'm sorry." Lillian never thought she would see her daughter look so unsure of herself than she did at that very moment. She could see how broken Lena felt, both inside and out. She could see how hard the young girl was trying to keep herself together, how hard she was pushing up the front of strength when behind the mask was a pile of pieces in need of repairing.

Grasping her wrist in a loose hold, she guided the teen forward, Lena's head finding perch on her shoulder while Lillian's rested on top of Lena's. "Please stop apologizing. Nothing is your fault. I need you to please see that."

"I can't help but feel like it is though? Why me? What did I ever do to him?" Lena cried, burrowing her face deeper into Lillian's shoulder.

"I don't know, but he's gone now. He can't ever hurt you again. Not if I or Kara have anything to say about it." She mindlessly rubbed soothing circles across Lena's back with one hand while the other cradled her head.

"I wish Dad were here." The young girl whispered.

"I know honey. I know. I wish he were here too." Lillian said, holding back her own tears.

Glancing out the small window, Lillian could see Eliza and Kara sitting in the front row, their backs to the booth. For a moment Eliza turned to glance at them before turning back to the front, effectively keeping the younger blonde occupied. A few minutes passed. Lena slowly calming down. Her arms tightened around her mother briefly before letting go. Taking a half step back she looked up to see Lillian's smiling face looking down at her.

"You ready to watch a movie?" the older woman asked, knowing how Lena needed time before talking. Lena nodded, wiping at her eyes with her sleeves. Before Lillian could make it through the door to get the chosen movie from the Danvers, Lena grasped her hand stopping her in her tracks.

"I love you, Mom." She said quietly before letting go.

"I love you too," Lillian said before stepping out of the room.

Lena followed behind her, dropping herself into the seat beside Kara. Lillian momentarily disappeared into the back room. The lights dimmed as the older Luthor took her place on Lena's other side. As everyone got situated, Kara leaning on Eliza and Lena leaning on Lillian, the opening music of Lena's favorite movie began to play.

* * *

Just over two hours later the credits were rolling. The four women stood, stretching out their limbs. The lights automatically raised, just enough for them to see, allowing for Lillian to put the movie away before they migrated out of the room.

"It's about time I head into work," Eliza stated when they found themselves in the living room. Glancing at the clock on the mantle above the fireplace it read _1:30._

"I should as well. Will you two be alright until Alex gets back?" Lillian asks.

"We should be. I think we might watch another movie or explore the gardens." Lena said.

"Well. We'll be home soon. Tell Alex she can bring Sam if she would like." Lillian smiles, grabbing her coat and keys from beside the door.

"Love you." Kara and Lena call out as Eliza and Lillian walk out the front door together.

Standing in the living room, the two teens glance around the room before their eyes land back on each other.

"So..." Kara starts, "What are we going to do now?"

"Would you like to join me in the garden?" Lena asks, tentatively holding out her hand.

"I would love to." Kara smiles, grasping Lena's hand in hers, the brunette lacing their fingers together before leading them out the back door to the terrace.

"Where would you like to explore Miss. Danvers?" the brunette teased.

"Wherever you decide to take me, Miss. Luthor."


	12. Panic

The Wednesday morning sun streamed through the curtains of Lillian’s room, the alarm clock blaring on the nightstand. Reaching for the device, she sleepily swiped at the object. Hitting the snooze button, the annoying noise ceased as she lay back down. It was then that she registered the weight beside her; a lump of sheets and blankets resting partially on her arm. Pulling back the sheets, she found the top of Lena’s head burrowing into her side, Lillian’s arm in a vice grip. Reaching across herself, the older brunette gently brushed pieces of Lena’s hair off her face, the younger girls features scrunching up before she nuzzled further into her mother’s side, a content sigh escaping her lips.

Green eyes opened slowly as the young brunette registered movement around her. She felt soft fingers threading themselves through her hair, pulling her to the waking world.

“Good morning.” A gentle whisper came from behind her, a smile pulling at the older woman’s lips.

“Good morning, Mom,” Lena says, her voice soft and thick with sleep.

“How did you sleep?” Lillian asks.

“Good. I’m sorry for coming in here. I didn’t want to wake Kara again, but I didn’t want to be alone.” Lena says slowly, sitting up and turning her body away from her mother.

“Come here baby,” The older brunette says, her hand resting on Lena’s shoulder.

She knew it was wrong, but before she could control it, she was tensing under the harmless hand of her mother.

_Bark dug into her skin, her back protesting against the roots pushing into her spine._

She felt her nails dig into her palms; breaths coming in shallow gasps.

_Warm liquid pooled in the palms of her hands. The fear in her chest expanded, encompassing her whole being, its intensity drowning out all other thoughts._

She closed her eyes, urging the menacing smile to just _please_ go away.

_Laughter echoed in her ears. Her voice trapped in her throat. The sound of crunching leaves faded in and out of the background._

The hand on her shoulder disappeared, alongside the weight on the bed behind her. She wills her mind to push out the sounds that are fighting their way to the front of her mind, focusing on the near-whisper in front of her.

“You’re safe Lena. You’re here with me. And Kara. At home.” The voice filtered in through the jumbled noises tangling together in her mind, the steady noise calming the tidal wave of emotion raging through her.

“You’re at home Lena. Come back to me, baby.” She hears Lillian repeating things over and over again, slowly digging her way through the cacophony of sounds.

_Home._

_Kara._

_Safe._

_Come back to me._

Lena holds on to these as she pushes herself out of the seemingly endless water that fills her lungs, trapping all sounds in her throat. Cries for help stay muffled, the claws digging deeper inside her, tendrils of fear wrapping around her ankles, threatening to pull her back into the sea of memory. Her grip on the anchor of her mother’s voice tightens, keeping her above water, pulling her to shore. The icy black water laps at the shore, waiting to pull her back under.

She could feel her breaths coming out in short gasps, the hand on the bed beside her, itching to rest on her shoulder once more. But it hesitated. Her mother’s voice echoed in her ears, dragging her farther from the tsunami building in her minds eye. Reaching out, she wrapped her fingers around the hand beside her, the warmth spreading through her, pushing the fear away, its tendrils sliding off her ankles.

“I’m sorry,” the young brunette whispered.

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Lillian replied softly, sitting beside Lena on the bed, making sure to leave space between them. However, as soon as she got situated, Lena tucked herself into her mother’s side, burying her face in the space where her neck met her shoulder, just above her collarbone.

“I love you mom,” Lena said, tilting her head to look up at her mother.

“I love you too dear,” Lillian said, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

For a few quiet minutes, the pair sat on Lillian’s bed, Lena’s arms wrapped around her mother’s midsection, Lillian’s wrapped around her shoulders. A hesitant knock sounded at the door; her mother’s quiet _come in_ opening the door to Eliza. The blonde stood in the doorway for a moment before softly clearing her throat.

“What would you two like for breakfast. I was about to wake Kara and make some.” She said, smiling softly at Lena.

“Any suggestions dear?” Lillian asked, only for Lena to shake her head, burrowing back into her mother’s side.

“Is she alright?” Eliza asked.

“She’s had a bad morning. I think she just had a slight panic attack. Thankfully, I have never dealt with one, but I’m not quite sure what to do.” Lillian said sadly. She looked down at her daughter before resting her free hand on the bed beside her, the clenched fist hidden from Lena but the pile of blankets.

“I’m a doctor, I should know what to do.” The older brunette whispered; anger hinted in her voice as her jaw tightened.

“Would you mind if I sat with her for a minute? Kara used to have panic attacks all the time, maybe I can help?”

“Is that alright with you Lena?” Lillian said, rubbing the teen's shoulder. Lena shrugged, slowly letting go of her mother, her gaze locked on her floor beside the bed.

“I’ll go make us some breakfast. I love you” She stood up, planting a kiss on the top of Lena’s head. Walking around the bed to the door, she stood beside Eliza for a moment before thanking her.

Moving into the hallway, Lillian passed a few doors, stopping short at the room across from Lena’s. While they all looked the same, this one had Kara’s name written on a sign made by Lena when Lillian first told her Kara could have one of the spare rooms on this hall for whenever she stayed over.

~

_“Mom, can Kara stay here tonight?” Lena asked one warm summer night._

_“As long as her mother agrees,” Lillian said, watching as her daughter ran off to call Kara’s mother. Standing down the hall from them, she watched as Kara rattled off her house phone number, the girls mumbling excitedly as they waited for Eliza to answer._

_“Hello Alex,” Lena said when the line clicked._

_“It’s Lena. Is your mom home? – May I talk to her? – Thank you,” She talked quietly. Kara’s hand slid from the brunette’s shoulder, down to her hand. From there, Lena intertwined their fingers, waiting for the phone to be passed off to Eliza._

_“Hi Ms. Danvers, It’s Lena. Would it be alright if Kara stayed here tonight?” Lillian heard Lena ask._

_“Thank you so much!” Lena smiled, passing the phone to Kara._

_“Hi, mom! Thank you for letting me stay. – No, I have clothes here. – I paint here too remember, they let me keep spare shirts and stuff.” Lena laughed as Kara groaned before embarrassedly telling her mother to stop making fun of her._

_“Love you, mom!” Kara said before quickly dropping the phone back onto the receiver, turning to hug Lena. Grabbing Kara’s hand once they separated, Lena dragged them back to Lillian._

_“Her mother said it’s okay,” Lena said._

_“I heard. What would you two like for dinner?” Lillian smiled._

_Shrugging, Lena turned to Kara._

_“Anything you make is fine, Ms. Luthor,” Kara said, straightening under Lillian’s gaze._

_“Lillian is fine dear. I will have the chef prepare something simple. Dinner is at 6 remember.” She said before turning to go back to her office.”_

_“Thank you, Lillian,” Kara said before Lena dragged her out the back door to the garden._

_*_

_After dinner, Lillian and Lena were washing the plates while Kara searched for a movie the trio could watch._

_“Thank you for letting her stay tonight, Mother,” Lena said, drying a plate and returning it to the cupboard with the rest._

_“Any time dear. But, aren’t you two getting a little old to be sharing your room still?”_

_“Where else is she supposed to sleep? I will not let her sleep on the floor, that’s mean and uncomfortable. And the couch down here is so far away.” Hanging up the towel, Lena rested her chin in her hands, elbows propped on the counter._

_“We have plenty of spare rooms dear. Why don’t you make the one across the hall hers?” Lillian suggested._

_“_ _Really? You’d let us do that?”_

_“_ _We’ve not done anything with it, why not. That way she won’t be too far away whenever she stays over. And she won’t be uncomfortable on your floor. You just need to change the sheets, I’m sure they’ve collected entirely too much dust to be slept on nicely.”_

_"Thank you!” Lena smiled, wrapping her arms around Lillian._

_“Now, how about we go see what she picked out for us to watch?”_

_~_

Opening the door to Kara’s room, Lillian stepped into the dark room, flipping on the switch. The room filled with warm light as the blonde slept soundly under what looked like half a dozen blankets.

Lillian crossed the short space from the door to the bed, laying a hand on Kara’s shoulder. Lightly shaking it, she softly spoke.

“Time to wake up Kara.” She said, watching as the artist buried her face deeper into the pillow.

“Five more minutes Lena,” she mumbled, covering her head with the comforter.

Laughing, Lillian grabbed the top of the blankets, pulling them off Kara’s head.

“Wake up Kara. It’s Lillian.”

Shooting into a seated position, blue eyes opened as fast as her half-asleep mind allowed them.

“Lillian? Is Lena okay? Where is she?” she spoke quickly, scanning the room.

“Lena is fine dear, she’s with your Mother in my room. She had an upsetting morning, so I’m enlisting you to help me cheer her up with breakfast.” Lillian explained, the blondes breathing settling as she brushed strands of hair out of her face with her uninjured arm.

“Okay, yeah. I can do that. What are we making?”

“One of Lena’s favorites.”

“Let me just get dressed and I’ll meet you downstairs?”

With a nod, Lillian stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her. Making her way to the kitchen, Lillian wandered around the spacious room collecting ingredients while she waited for Kara.

A few minutes later, Kara shuffled into the room. Her pajamas had been traded out for dark blue jeans and a black long sleeve shirt, her hair pulled out of her face into a high ponytail, glasses perched on her nose as she looked at all the ingredients lining the counters.

“What are we making Lillian?” She asked.

“We are going to attempt to make donuts.” Lillian smiled.

“Cool. Let us get started then.”

* * *

“Will Lena be okay?” Kara asked halfway through lining the first pan with donuts to be baked.

“Yeah. She just had a bad morning. Everything that happened with Mike just has her so scared.” Lillian said, dropping her formed dough onto the pan beside the rest.

“I feel like such a bad mother, I don’t know how to help her.” She added, resting her forearms on the counter, blankly staring at the backsplash.

“You’ve done nothing wrong, Lillian. What Mike did was scary for everyone. If Alex and Sam didn’t stop me, I might have beat up Max and Morgan too.” Kara said, leaning on the counter beside Lillian.

“Who are Max and Morgan?” Lillian asked, standing fully.

“Lena didn’t tell you?” Kara started. Lillian shook her head, prompting the blonde to continue, “They were the other two guys. They were there when Mike… you know…” she trailed off.

“She didn’t know who the other two were,” Lillian said, sliding the full pan into the oven.

“What does that mean?” Kara asked when she couldn’t read Lillian’s expression.

“That means the police don’t know who else did it, so they only have Mike.”

“But that means they’ll still be there when we go back next week.” The blonde said, the spoon she had been using to scoop the dough falling back into the bowl with a loud clang.

“Not if you submit a statement. Technically you were there since you found her. You could be considered a witness.”

“But how would they know I’m not making it up?”

“What happened when you fought Mike?”

“Well at first all three of them were in front of me. But Mike said they would sit out this time while motioning for them to watch. He said they ‘had fun putting Lena in her place’ then I kind of saw red and pummeled him.”

“So, he admitted to them being there.”

“So, I can talk to the police and they can be taken to?” Kara asked, somewhat hopefully. A small part of her jumped at this information, knowing that Lena would be more likely to be okay going back if they were all gone. But the rest of her felt like the brunette would never feel safe going back.

“I believe so,” Lillian said, forcing a smile.

With a nod, they continued putting together breakfast, a plan forming in Kara’s head. She just needed Alex’s help later to execute it.

* * *

In Lillian’s room, Eliza sat beside Lena, the brunettes head on her shoulder. Since Lillian left, the two had been sitting in silence, Eliza waiting. She wanted to give Lena the time she knew she would need to formulate her thoughts. That and decide if she even wanted to talk about it. From her past experiences with Kara, she knew that Lena might not even want to talk about it happening for a few hours, if not days. She had lost count of the number of times she had held Kara in the middle of the night, pulling her out of the dreams plaguing her sleep.

“Thank you.” Lena’s soft whisper cut through the silence like a knife.

“For what sweetie?” Eliza asked, keeping her voice soft as well.

“For umm… for sitting with me.” The teen said, lifting her head off Eliza’s shoulder.

“I have helped Kara through plenty. I’ve learned sometimes a presence is all you need.”

“Thank you anyway,” Lena said.

“Of course.”

“May I uhm… may I hug you?” Lena asked, twisting her fingers in her lap, her hair hiding her face.

“Come here.” The blonde said, opening her arms. Turning to face her, Lena shuffled over until she was nearly in Eliza’s lap, her arms snaking around her waist, her face hidden in the woman’s collar.

A timid knock sounded at the door, Kara’s head popping in.

“Uh, breakfast is ready.” She said before stepping back into the hallway.

“Kara,” Lena called before the blonde could shut the door.

“Yeah?” the artist asked, looking back through the door.

Sitting in the middle of the bed, Lena played with the edge of the sheets, a faint sniffle sounding through the room. Sliding past her, Eliza moved to leave the room.

“Sit with her for a few minutes.” She whispered before all but pushing Kara into the room, closing the door as she went.

Kara took the click of the door as her cue to sit on the edge of the bed, slowly moving to brush a few strands of hair out of the brunette’s face. Hooking them behind her ear, she rested her hand on Lena’s cheek, brushing the first tear off with her thumb. She thanked her morning self for neglecting footwear, allowing her to crawl more onto the bed without having to pause to take anything off. Doing what she could with her casted arm, she fluffed up a few pillows at the headboard, leaning back against them. Opening her arms, she motioned for Lena to join her, the brunette slowly crawling the short distance, curling up beside her. Letting Lena take the lead, she watched as the brunette rested her head on her chest, listening to her heartbeat through her thin shirt. Pale arms curled around her waist, the younger girls body relaxing as Kara did the same. One hand rested on her back, the other on her shoulder, positioned in such a way that if Lena wanted to get up, she could without any form of resistance.

“Thank you for being here, Kara,” Lena whispered.

At first, Kara didn’t say anything, waiting to see if Lena would say anymore.

“I don’t know if I can go back to school. But I really don’t want to move away from you.” The brunette continued after a moment of silence.

“You know I’ll always be there for you. Whether we are in the same school or not.” Kara said, surprised at how even her voice sounded, contrary to the way her emotions were running wild in her head. She wanted nothing more than for Lena to stay with her at Midvale High, but she would in no way force her to stay if she was any bit uncomfortable or scared.

“Besides, you’ve got the rest of the week. You are under no pressure to decide.” The blonde added.

“What do you think I should do?” Lena asked, looking up at Kara.

“It’s not up to me.” She replied.

“But if it were?”

“I’d be more than happy if you decided to stay. But I would in no way stop you from allowing yourself to feel safe. You mean too much to me Lena, I hate seeing you hurt.”

“Thank you for telling me,” Lena said quietly.

“Would you like to get some breakfast? Your Mom and I made something special for you.” Kara said.

With a nod, Lena crawled out of Kara’s arms, instantly missing the warmth and safety they provided.

“I’m going to get dressed really quick,” Lena said when they left the room, turning to her door. “Will you wait here for me please?” She asked.

“Of course.” Kara smiled, leaning on the wall beside the door, listening to the muffled sounds of her best friend moving around the room. Taking the short time she knew she had while Lena got dressed, she pulled out her phone shooting off a text to Alex.

_Can I get your help with something? ~K_

Knowing she was in class; Kara was surprised when her phone buzzed with an incoming text.

_That depends._

_What is it? ~A_

_I need a ride this afternoon. ~K_

_Where are you wanting to go? ~A_

_The precinct. ~K_

_Huh. Okay. Is Lena coming too? ~A_

_No. Just me. ~K_

_Okay. See ya later. ~A_

_Thank you._

_I love you ~K_

_Love you too. ~A_

The door to Lena’s room opened just as she turned her phone off. Pocketing it, she smiled at the slightly shorter girl. Taking in the black jeans and dark blue shirt, she laughed at the nearly mirrored outfit before holding her hand out for Lena to take. Intertwining their fingers, Lena followed Kara to the dining room where Eliza and Lillian sat waiting with coffee and the donuts Lillian and Kara made.

“You guys made donuts?” Lena asked, smiling at Kara.

“They’re your third favorite breakfast,” Kara said, leading the brunette to her spot beside Lillian.

“Thank you.” She said, watching as Kara rounded the table, sitting across from her, beside Eliza.

“Hopefully, we didn’t mess them up,” Kara joked, smiling when Lillian and Lena eagerly bit into one.

“They taste amazing,” Eliza said while Lena nodded.

* * *

Not long after breakfast, Lena and Kara retreated to the study to work on their assignments while Lillian gave Eliza a tour of her office. Not long into working on their classwork, Kara had to move to her room to work on a painting for class. She spent a few minutes getting her paints lined up, making sure she had any brushes she may decide to use. As she was walking out of her bathroom with a cup of water and paper towels, Lena was at the door, leaning on the frame.

“Would it be alright if I watch you? I won’t disturb you,” the brunette asked.

“Yeah, sure. You can sit on my bed while I paint.”

“Thank you,” she said, climbing to the middle of Kara’s bed. She watched as the blonde put one of her headphones in, scrolling through a few songs before selecting one. Returning the device to her pocket, she picked out a brush, dipping it into a random color, moving it across the blank canvas. Oranges and yellows mixed with red; silver and blacks appearing across a distant skyline. Slowly, buildings took shape, orange light bouncing the reflection of a red sun. A shimmering lake filled with blue-green water, a fountain perched in the middle, cascading water causing endless ripples in the crystal-clear surface. Bird-like creatures dotted the sky, soaring in and out of the clouds that mostly blocked the red giant lighting the world. Between the clouds, distant planets joined the winged beasts in the sky. In the middle, a lone figure stood by the lake, their reflection scattered by the ripples. Just beneath a bush in the corner, the small letters _K. D_ sat, hidden from those who chose not to look, but obvious to those who did.

Pulling out her phone, she paused her music. Wrapping up her headphones, she stuffed them in her pocket before turning to find Lena staring intently at the easel.

“How do you do that?” the younger girl asked.

“I’m not entirely sure. I just kind of let my mind wander when I paint, ignoring pretty much everything. The music gives me something to focus on when I start thinking too hard about what’s on the canvas.”

“It’s amazing.”

“Thank you.”

“What time is it?” Lena asked.

“Nearly 2:30.”

“We’ve been up here for four hours?”

“I guess we have. I’m sorry I wasted half your day.” Kara said, turning back to her painting, dropping her used brushes in the cup of water to clean.

“Don’t be sorry. I was just surprised is all.” Lena said, moving to stand behind Kara’s chair, draping her arms over the blonde’s shoulders, folding them over her chest, hands resting on opposite shoulders. “I’m amazed you did something like this in only four hours.” The brunette said, tightening her hold on the artist.

“Oh. Thanks.” Kara said, grasping Lena’s forearms, giving them a gentle squeeze, tilting her head back to look at her friend.

“I can paint something for you later if you want?” She asked, staring into Lena’s bright green eyes.

“I’d love that.”

“Anything in particular?”

“I’m sure whatever you do will be beautiful.”

“Alright. But you can’t be in here when I paint it.”

“Do I need to leave now?” Lena asked, moving to let go.

“Not right now. I need to take a break from painting. Besides, we missed lunch and you need to eat.” Kara said, tightening her hold on Lena’s arms, keeping her from letting go yet.

“Okay.”

A few minutes later, the duo went downstairs, finding a plate of sandwiches in the kitchen with a note beside them.

_We got called into work. Tell Alex she can bring Sam. Don’t work too hard, see you tonight._

_Love you both, Eliza and Lillian._

Sitting on the stools in the kitchen, Kara and Lena each took a sandwich while Kara pulled out her phone.

_Ms. Luthor said you can bring Sam this afternoon. She and Mom got called into work. ~K_

_Cool! We’re on our way now, Ms. Grant let us out early. ~A_

_See you soon. ~K_

“Alex and Sam are on their way home,” Kara said, taking a bite of her lunch.

“What are we going to do when they get here?” Lena asked, finishing her sandwich, moving to clean the plate they were on.

“Not sure. I do have something I need to do, so Alex and I have to leave for a little bit.”

“Where are you going?”

“There’s something I have to do, but I can’t drive alone yet, so Alex is taking me.”

“Oh. Okay.” Kara could see Lena’s disappointment despite being unable to see her face. The slight dropping of her shoulders, the way her hair fell from behind her ear as she looked down into the sink.

“I shouldn’t be gone long. I can get you something while I’m out?”

“You don’t have to do that. I just don’t want to be alone.” Lena said, her voice barely carrying over the running water.

“I could convince Sam to stay with you. I would bring you with me, but I don’t want to overwhelm you or make you uncomfortable.” Kara said, moving to stand behind Lena. Gently placing a hand on her shoulder, she was slightly relieved by the fact that the brunette didn’t tense up under her touch.

“What do you have to do?” Lena hesitantly asked.

“Your mom said I could be considered a witness, so I have to give a statement.”

“What could you say though?” Lena turned around, leaning on the edge of the sink.

“Um. I want to tell you, but I don’t want to upset you.” Kara said, looking to the floor.

“I don’t think there’s anything that could upset me more than Friday,” Lena said, taking Kara’s hand, running her thumb across the knuckles of her free hand.

“I may know who the other two guys are,” Kara said quietly.

“What? How?” Lena asked.

“Mike said something while I was fighting him. He unintentionally confessed to them being there. That was the last thing he said before I broke stuff on his face.” The blonde explained, raising her casted arm for emphasis.

“So, what, you tell the police and they get arrested too?” the brunette asked, a tinge hope lining her voice.

“That’s the plan,” Kara said.

The front door opened, Sam’s laughter filling the foyer.

“We’re here nerds, where are you hiding?” Alex called out.

“We aren’t hiding dweeb. We were finishing our lunch.” Kara yelled back as she exited the kitchen.

“Why were you having lunch so late?” Sam asked.

“She got caught up painting and I was watching her,” Lena said.

“Oh yeah, I’ve seen your works all over the school. They’re awesome.”

“Thank you,” Kara said as Lena led everyone to the living room.

“Hey babe,” Alex started, waiting for Sam to have a seat on the couch.

“Yeah?”

“Would you mind hanging out with Lena for about an hour?”

“uh, sure. Why?”

“I’ve gotta chauffer Kara really quick, we shouldn’t be long.”

“No problem. You kids have fun.” The tall brunette joked.

“We’re the same age, you dolt.” Alex laughed, pressing a kiss to Sam’s temple before walking towards the front door.

“We’ll be back soon,” Kara told Lena, wrapping the shorter girl in a hug.

“Drive safe,” Lena called out as Alex and Kara closed the front door.

* * *

The drive to the precinct was quick, Alex pulling into the parking lot only 15 minutes later.

“Would you like me to go in with you?” The older Danvers asked as Kara unbuckled.

“I should be alright on my own. Sure, I’m nervous but I’ll be okay. Thank you though.” Kara said. Stepping out of the car, she shut the door with a short wave to her sister. Crossing the parking lot, passing a line of squad cars, she stopped short in front of the glass double doors leading into the building. Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the door, the loudness of the place catching her off guard. Taking out the slip of paper she got from Lillian, she went to what appeared to be the front desk. Behind it, large floor to ceiling windows separated the officers from the lobby. Rows of desks each with varying sized stacks of paper covering them filled the room behind the glass.

“Hi,” Kara said to the man behind the desk.

“Welcome to Midvale Precinct, I’m Barry. How can I help you?” he asked.

“Hi, I’m looking for a Detective Sawyer,” Kara said, shoving the sticky note back in her pocket, she watched as the man, Barry, turned in his chair, scanning the room behind the glass. Seemingly spotting the person he was looking for he stood.

“If you’ll follow me,” He said, leading Kara into the room. Passing several desks in the direction of the back corner, he stopped abruptly in front of one, Kara almost running into him from behind.

“Detective Maggie Sawyer, this is Kara...” he trailed off, looking to the blonde. Staring at him for a second, she shook her head.

“Danvers. Kara Danvers.”

“Hey Danvers, how can I help you?” a short woman in a black leather jacket asked as Barry walked back to the front desk.

“I um. I’m not sure how I’m supposed to do this, but I was told I have to give a statement with you?” Kara said, wrapping her arms around herself.

“You’re the friend of Lena Luthor?” The detective asked.

“That would be me yes.”

“Follow me please.” The woman said, walking in the direction they came from. Exiting the office room, they passed the front desk, moving down a hallway to the left of the entrance. Taking a right at the end of the hall, the detective stood in front of one of the doors, turning to face Kara.

“Here we are,” she said. Opening the door, she led Kara inside, gesturing for her to have a seat in one of the chairs at the table in the center of the room. Kara watched the woman go to the cabinet in the corner, pulling out a small rectangular box, a little bit smaller than a VCR.

“What’s that?” Kara asked.

“This will record your statement so we can store it with the case file. I’ll start it, you’ll tell me what you saw and anything that’s related, then I turn it off.” The detective explained.

“Um. I didn’t- should I have written it down too? Cause I tend to ramble when I’m nervous or scared, and I’m nervous.” The blonde cut herself off, watching as a smile grew on the detective’s face, wide enough to show an adorable set of dimples.

“Don’t worry about it. I can pause it if you ever need time to get your thoughts in order. These things always make people nervous. Especially the ones who aren’t in trouble.” The brunette said.

“Ready?” She asked.

“I think so. Where do I start?”

“That afternoon should be fine. When we spoke to Lena, she said you found her. You can start with what made you look for her in the first place.”

“Okay. Here goes I guess.” Kara chuckled nervously. Watching the detective press a button on the device, she heard the tape spinning, waiting to pick up whatever she said.

“So um, Friday, I was waiting outside the school. Usually, Lena and I meet by the flagpole after school so we can ride home with my sister Alex. But she didn’t show up. Normally when that happens, she sends me a message, or her friend Jess lets me know where she’s held up. But when I texted her and Jess, Jess said she hadn’t returned from the restroom since asking to go thirty minutes prior. But Jess had all her stuff. So, I wandered the school looking for her, asking teachers as I passed them, but nobody had seen her. So, naturally, I got worried. Um. Alex texted me she was waiting for us outside, asking where we were. I told her I couldn’t find Lena, so she and her girlfriend Sam helped me look for her. We had checked the entire school but didn’t find her anywhere. I had even gone so far as to check the roof, to no avail.

So, the three of us; me, Alex, and Sam, wandered around the outside of the building. I know a lot of the places Lena likes to go when people have been particularly rude to her, so she hides outside. I checked all those places too, and she wasn’t there. I started to wonder if she had just left the school without telling us when we rounded the school, coming face to face with the football field. I think that’s when everything clicked for me.

The football field runs perpendicular to the back of the school, the far side surrounded by a fence marking the edge of school property. Everything beyond that for a few miles is woods. Off to the right of the farthest corner of the field, there’s a broken part of the fence. The Environment club uses that spot all the time to clean the edge of the woods where football players kick the balls into it without going to get them.

For the last two years give or take, Lena has been bullied by a lot of the members of the football team, along with some kids from baseball and cross country. Seeing the football field kind of shined a light in my face, and I dropped our backpacks, running as fast as I could across the field. At some point Alex and Sam followed me, but I stopped paying attention to them when I realized where Lena could be. Pushing through the gap in the fence, I called out to her several times, running along the edge of the forest where it looked like someone had been dragged. I almost cried when her broken voice called out to me the one time. I kept calling out to her, but she only responded the one time. I was so scared.

I eventually found her, lying beside a tree. There were leaves and sticks scattered around her, anyone seeing it could tell she struggled. I could see where she had dug her nails into her palms, her fingers and wrists coated with blood. I can only assume she hit her head on the ground, cause there was some behind her head too, mixing with the dirt. I, uh, I redressed her, carrying her out of the woods. We um- we took her to her house, where her mom, Lillian Luthor, cleaned her up. She’s a doctor, she could help. I didn’t mean to- I’m sorry.” Maggie pressed the pause button on the machine, rounding the table to sit in the chair beside Kara. The blonde buried her face in her hands, her cast doing nothing to help stifle the sobs overtaking her body. She could feel the detective beside her, the hand rubbing circles on her back, the other resting on her arm.

“I’m sorry,” Kara said, wiping her face with her sleeve.

“Don’t apologize. This is a shit situation, and I’m sorry this happened to you and Lena, but we’ve got the guy responsible for it. He can’t touch her, or anyone else, ever again.” Maggie said, squeezing Kara’s shoulder.

“But the other two are still there. They’re still wandering the halls of the school, and Lena’s terrified of going back.”

“You know who the other two are?” Maggie asked.

“Yeah. Lillian told me this morning Lena didn’t know who they were, but-“

“Wait.” Maggie cut Kara off before she could finish.

Pressing the record button on the machine, she gestured for Kara to continue.

“oh, yeah. So, um. This morning, I was making breakfast with Lillian when she told me Lena didn’t know who the other two guys were. That’s when I told her I do, and she told me to tell you during my statement so, uh, here goes.

This Monday, I went to school while Lena stayed home. I was going to lunch when Mike and two of his friends somewhat cornered me in the hallway. Mike started saying stuff about Lena, so I hit him with my backpack. When I reoriented myself, himself, Morgan, and Max were standing there. I initially wanted to grab my backpack and walk away, but he kept taunting me. Telling the other two to stay back, he started hinting at what happened Friday, and it was making me mad, so I tossed my backpack aside. He said something along the lines of “we had fun putting that Luthor girl in her place,” while Morgan and Max laughed behind him, and I bolted. I don’t remember exactly what happened, but there was a lot of me hitting him while he was on the floor. That is why my arm is in a cast. I broke my finger on his nose, bone bruising the rest of my hand and surface bruising part of my other wrist. Alex and Vasquez, one of Alex’s classmates, had to pull me off while Sam calmed me down. Next thing I knew I was at the hospital. Now here we are.” Kara finished, scratching at the edge of her cast.

“You said Morgan and Max were there Friday?” Maggie said.

“Yes. Mike was looking at them while taunting me. They were laughing and nodding along the whole time.”

“What are their full names?”

“Um. Morgan Edge and uh… Max- Maxwell Lord.”

“Alright. I think that will be all Ms. Danvers.”

“Of course, Detective.”

Pressing the stop button on the machine, Maggie stood up, giving Kara a hand to do the same.

“Sorry I started crying,” Kara said, brushing the hair out of her face as she stood beside the door.

“No need to apologize, Kara, this is a tough situation. Though I am honestly surprised you got through everything before breaking. I know I would have cried at least twice before the end.”

“I guess I channeled some of Friday’s urgency when telling it. I wanted to get it out, so… I did.”

“Well, now we can file your statement alongside this new information, get these bastards, and close the case. I really appreciate you coming in today.”

“I want Lena to feel safe. If I had known she didn’t know who they were I would have come sooner. I’m glad I could help though.”

“Well, if I need anything else, I’ll get in touch. Have a good afternoon.” Grasping the outstretched hand, Kara shook it before turning down the hallway towards the front desk.

“Have a great afternoon,” Barry called from the desk as Kara stepped out of the building with a wave.

Crossing the parking lot, she knocked on the passenger window, waiting for the click of the lock before dropping into the seat.

“How did it go?” Alex asked.

“Great, I guess. I cried like a baby, but they can arrest Morgan and Max now.” Kara said, digging through the glove box for something to wipe her eyes with.

“That’s great! Time to get back to our girls?” the older Danvers teased.

“Actually, can we go to the store first? I want to get Lena something, and I need a bit more paint for a project.”

“Sure thing.”

Turning the car on, Alex pulled out of the precinct parking lot.

* * *

Pulling up beside the row of cars outside the Luthor Manor, Alex turned the car off. Grabbing their bags from the back seat, the sisters made their way through the front door.

“Sam?” Alex called into the living room.

“Up here babe,” came Sam’s voice from the top of the stairs a minute later. From behind the brunette, Lena appeared a few moments later, rubbing at her eyes. Spotting the blonde, her eyes widened as she climbed down the stairs. Setting the bags of paint and stuff on the floor, Kara opened her arms to catch her friend.

“Kara! You’re back,” Lena smiled, burying her face in the blonde’s shoulder.

“Told you it wouldn’t take long.” Behind Lena, Kara could see Alex hugging Sam, her sister giving her girlfriend the chocolate she bought. Kara tightened her hold on Lena before letting go. Falling back on her heels, Lena glanced at the bags behind Kara.

“What’d you get?” She asked.

“Just some more paint stuff. I needed more if I want to paint something for you.” Kara said, picking them up before the brunette could see the contents.

“We’re going to order some dinner. What do you guys want?” Alex asked.

“I’m fine with whatever,” Kara said, moving to bring the bags upstairs.

“uh. Chinese?” Lena shrugged, running after Kara.

“Chinese it is then, I guess.” Sam shrugged, laughing as Alex rolled her eyes.

“What’s so funny?” Alex asked.

“You, of course.”

“It’s not my fault they’re everything but observant.” Alex huffed, pulling out her phone to order Chinese food, making sure to add extra for Lillian and Eliza for when they returned.

* * *

After the four of them ate, Alex left to take Sam home. Kara and Lena sat in the living room sipping hot chocolate when Lillian and Eliza walked in.

“Good evening girls,” Lillian said.

“Hey, Mom. How was work?” Lena asked the two doctors.

“Busy. How was your day?” Eliza said, hanging her coat beside Lillian’s by the door.

“Good. I gave my statement to the police. Detective Sawyer said once everything is filed and the other two are taken care of, the case should be closed.” Kara said, setting her empty cup on the coffee table.

“That’s great!”

“There’s some Chinese food in the kitchen if you guys are hungry. I think I’m going to head to bed.” Lena said, taking both cups to the kitchen, rinsing them before placing them in the dishwasher.

“Good night Mom. Love you.” Lena called from the base of the stairs, smiling at Lillian’s _love you too_ as she climbed the stairs to her room for the night, Kara following shortly after.

Standing outside Lena’s door, Kara pulled the shorter girl into a hug, resting her chin on the top of Lena’s head.

“Don’t hesitate to come to me if you get scared Lena. I’ll always protect you. I know I messed up recently and wasn’t able to, but I’m here.”

“I know. Thank you, Kara.”

“Good night Lena,” Kara said, releasing the brunette.

“Good night Kara,” Lena said, trying and failing to stifle a yawn. “Love you,” The brunette added, closing her door.

Smiling, Kara rested her hand on the door between them, whispering _I love you too,_ before going to her own room.


	13. Inferno

An older brunette stood above her, pulling the thick blankets up to her chin.

“I love you so much, Little One.” She said, the white strand in her hair standing out, even in the dark.

“I love you too, Aunt Astra.” The young blonde said, stifling a yawn before asking, “Will mother come to see me when she gets home?”

“I’ll make sure of it. Try to sleep until she does. Sweet dreams Little One,” she smiled before flipping the switch on the space nightlight beside the bed, walking out of the room. The door closed with a soft click, the young blonde staring up at the constellations dancing across the blank surface.

An hour later, she wakes up to her door creaking open, soft footsteps stopping beside her bed.

“Mother?” the girl asks.

“It’s me. Good night, my little star.” Alura says, pressing a kiss to Kara’s forehead.

“Good night, mother,” Kara smiles, burrowing back into her blankets.

*

Flames surround her, the smoke pulling her from sleep. She hears her cousin crying in the room beside hers. She opens her eyes, the thick cloud stinging them, but she forces herself to keep them open.

“Mom?” She cries, the crackling getting louder, the heat around her intensifying when she opens her door only for it to fall off the hinges. Jumping out of the way, it crashes to the floor, a plume of smoke and embers flying off as it lands.

“Kara!” She hears from her right. The door to her mother’s room is gone, part of the ceiling caving in, flaming boards blocking the entrance. She can see her father, arms wrapped in layers of shirts and jackets, trying to push the boards out of the way.

“Where’s Aunt Astra?” Kara asks, getting as close as she can to the blocked door, the heat surrounding her, her pajamas clinging to her body like a second skin.

“I don’t know,” Alura says, pulling layers off her father as they catch on fire.

“I’m going to go find Clark,” Kara yells, turning from their door. “Get outside!” She hears as she runs down the hall. She turns to find the stairs engulfed in flames, feeling the sting of tears forming, but she pushes them away. Forcing herself to look away from the staircase, she pushes through Clark's door, finding him huddled in the corner untouched by fire.

“Ka!” He cries when he sees her, his tiny body colliding with hers. “Asra?” He asks looking over her shoulder.

“I don’t know bud. We have to go outside,” the blonde says. Picking Clark up, she wraps a blanket around him, covering his mouth and nose. Crawling through the hallway, she makes it to the living room. The door and windows collapsed, the door to the kitchen unblocked but surrounded by bright orange flames. Turning back to the hall, she can see the boards curling under the heat, the walls cracking under the pressure of the ceiling. Clark wiggling against her tears her focus from the broken hallway, pushing her to jump past the flames, hissing when the flames lick at her bare feet. Climbing onto the counter, she pushes open the kitchen window, a chill rushing over as the cold air blows in. Adjusting the blanket, she ties it tighter around her waist and shoulders so she can let go. Reaching for the branch hanging low beside the window, she barely lays a hand on it before a loud rumbling forces her to jump. Her left knee collides with the branch as her right leg swings over it, the impact sending a sharp pain shooting up her thigh. She ignores it; instead, pulling Clark to her chest, unwrapping his nose to let some of the fresh air in as she climbs the base of the tree. Running to the front yard, she falls to the ground near the road, the fire casting her shadow across the sidewalk.

She hears the sirens in the distance, their flashing lights coming around the corner.

But they are too late.

Her screams are drowned out by the place she has called home crashing to the ground. The middle of the roof caves first, the chimney falling soon after, pulling the other side with it. Boards from the outer second floor snap off, falling into the front garden. The right side of the building doesn’t stand much longer. The second-floor bathroom window shatters, glass raining down as the room crashes into where she remembers her parent’s room being.

“Mom!” the blonde yells. Clark sits on the ground beside her, his crying doing nothing to distract her from the crashing inside the house. Standing, she starts running back towards the house when a pair of arms wrap around her.

“Let me go!” She screams. “I have to save my mom!” She yells when the arms wrap tighter around her, her feet leaving the ground as they carry her backward.

“Mom! She cries again, her voice cracking. The rest of the building falling is the last thing she sees before passing out.

* * *

Sitting up in bed, she shoved the covers off, her breaths coming in short gasps.

“Kara?” a figure stood in the door, the light from the hall spilling into the room.

“Alex?” Kara asked, the taller brunette nodding before stepping into the room. Opening her arms, Alex wasn’t surprised when the blonde wrapped around her like a koala, tears soaking into her nightshirt.

“Nightmares again?” Alex asked, frowning when Kara nodded against her, burrowing her face deeper into her sister’s neck. “We’re all here, Kara. We’re safe.” She said, rubbing circles on the blondes back.

“Want me to go get mom?” The brunette asked.

“Please,” Kara whispered. Alex stood, moving to leave the room when Kara’s broken voice sounded again, “you’ll come back too right?”

Turning, she sent a soft smile in Kara’s direction. “Of course, I will.”

Sure enough, a few short minutes later, Alex walked back in, Eliza right behind her. Alex crawled in beside Kara while Eliza walked around the other side, doing the same.

“I’m sorry,” Kara whispered when the pair got situated on either side of her.

“Don’t be,” Alex said, pulling Kara’s shoulder so the blonde would lay back down.

“We’ll always be here,” Eliza smiled, pulling the blankets up around them. Laying on her side, she rested a hand on Kara’s shoulder. “Get some sleep,” she added, pressing a kiss to the younger blonde’s temple. Turning her back to Eliza, Kara sighed when the older blonde’s arms wrapped around her. Taking hold of Alex’s hand between them, she fell asleep to the brunette lacing their fingers together, her thumb rubbing soothing circles on the back of her hand.

* * *

Kara woke up to the sun shining through the curtains. Somewhere in the night, she had shifted, Alex’s arms now around her, her head resting on the brunette’s shoulder. Turning, the bed beside them, the spot Eliza had occupied was empty, the blonde instantly tensing. As if she could sense Kara’s distress, Alex woke up with a yawn.

“What’s wrong Kara?” the brunette asked, brushing Kara’s hair out of her face.

“Where’s mom?” the blonde asked, sitting up.

“I’m sure she’s fine. She probably went to the bathroom or something.” Alex said, turning to find the bathroom door open, no sign of life inside.

“Let’s go find her, what do you think of that?” Alex suggested, taking Kara’s hand.

“Okay,” Kara said, following the older Danvers out of the room. Meandering the halls, the duo climbed down the stairs, stopping in the doorway leading to the dining room. From her place behind Alex, Kara spotted Lillian and Lena nursing cups of coffee, Eliza sitting across from them, laughing at something Lena said.

Clearing her throat, Alex stepped into the room, the trio turning to say their good mornings when Eliza spotted Kara’s tear-filled eyes. Pushing her chair back, she crossed the room in a few short strides, Lena and Lillian watching as the older blonde wrapped Kara in a hug, swaying when the young girl burst into tears.

Eliza whispered soft reassurances to Kara as Alex rested her hand on her sister’s back. Kara’s hands dug into Eliza’s back; the woman’s shirt held in tight fists as Kara assured herself that they were real.

“I’m sorry,” Kara quietly murmured, slowly releasing her hold on Eliza’s shirt to wipe at her eyes.

“You’ve got nothing to apologize for. I didn’t think this morning, I shouldn’t have left,” the oldest Danvers said, resting a hand on the blonde’s cheek, brushing tears away with her thumb.

“Will you be okay with me going to school?” Alex asked glancing at the clock. Turning, Kara spotted the time. Alex would have to leave soon if she didn’t want to be late. Nodding, Kara pulled Alex into her arms.

Stepping back, Kara dropped her arms to her sides after wiping away her tears, falling into the seat beside the one Eliza had been in. Looking up, she watched Lillian and Lena retake their seats, Eliza sitting in the one beside her.

“Are you okay?” Lena asked.

Nodding, Kara stared at the table in front of her, barely registering the cup of coffee Eliza nudged into her cold hands.

“She had a bad night,” the older blonde said quietly, running her hand over Kara’s hair.

“Anything we can do to help?” Lillian asked, pushing a bowl of fruit across the table.

“Make sure she knows you’re here. After a night like last night, we tend to spend the day making sure she knows we are all there,” Eliza said, her hand resting on Kara’s forearm.

“Okay,” The two Luthor’s nodded, Lena, getting up from her chair, the scrape along the floor getting Kara’s attention, the blonde’s focus jumping from the table to Lena.

“You’re leaving?” Kara asked, her voice unsteady.

“Not at all. I’m getting you more marshmallows,” Lena said as she rounded the table into the kitchen. Returning a minute later, she held a steaming cup of hot chocolate and a bag of mini marshmallows. Taking the chair on Kara’s left side, Lena opened the marshmallows, dropping a handful into the mug, the liquid inside rising to just short of spilling over.

“Thank you,” Kara said, leaning into Lena’s shoulder when the brunette wrapped an arm around Kara’s back.

Breakfast passed quietly, everyone nibbling on the sliced fruit. Lillian and Eliza talked a little bit before falling into silence, both worried about the teens. At Lena’s suggestion, the four women moved to the small living room, a fire burning in the fireplace. The quiet room steadily filled with the cracking and popping of wood, small embers floating in the alcove. On the couch, Lena sat in the middle, Kara right beside her. Lillian and Eliza sat on the outside, Eliza beside Kara, Lillian beside Lena. A large blanket was spread out across their laps, the older blonde holding a worn book, its age showing in the dozens of dog-eared pages, the cover dusty and torn. Flipping through slightly yellowed pages, the older Danvers read aloud, passing the book across to Lillian when she finished the chapter, the Luthor taking over. Leaning into the brunette’s warmth, Kara had her head resting on Lena’s shoulder as fingers ran through her hair. Chapter by chapter, blue eyes slowly drifted shut, but Lena’s hand never stopped moving, Lillian and Eliza didn’t stop reading. The fire continued to crackle across the room, orange and red light dancing across surfaces, bathing the room in warmth.

Chapter by chapter, Lillian and Eliza slowed, checking on the girls every few pages. Lillian’s reading tapered off as green eyes fluttered closed, Lena’s head falling to rest on top of Kara’s.

* * *

A shrill ringing cut through the silence, green eyes shooting open. Her attempts to sit up were halted by a comforting weight on her chest, her movements stilling despite the slight ache in her neck. Looking down, Lena found a head of blonde hair on her left shoulder, Kara’s body lying half on hers against the back of the couch. Around her waist she could feel Kara’s arm, their legs tangled beneath the blanket. Moving her left hand from where it rested between their bodies, Lena brushed strands of hair out of Kara’s face, gently pulling on black frames, the blonde grumbled contently when her glasses were removed. Burrowing deeper into Lena’s shoulder, Kara’s hold tightened ever so slightly as the blonde shifted, a sigh brushed across Lena’s collar as Kara got comfortable once again. A smile formed slowly on Lena’s face, her hand falling to rest on Kara’s forearm, mindless circles forming on tan skin.

Hearing footsteps, Lena looked up to her mother, watching as the older woman crossed the room, taking a seat in the chair beside the couch directly in Lena’s line of sight. Looking up, Lillian startled slightly, nearly dropping her phone when she moved to put it on the coffee table.

“You’re awake,” she smiled.

“Barely,” Lena mumbled, barely hiding a yawn behind her hand. “Where’s Eliza?” She asked.

“She got called into work. There was an accident, they need her help.” Lillian said.

“Why didn’t you go too?” Lena asked.

“Most of the injuries are out of my area of expertise. And Eliza wanted to make sure more people would be here for Kara.”

Nodding, Lena turned back to Kara, the blonde’s nose scrunching slightly. Lazily, blue eyes blinked open, the orange of the fire reflecting in azure pools. All too quickly, Kara shot up, her casted hand pressing hard on Lena’s healing side, a yelp escaping the brunette. Pushing off the couch, Kara tumbled to the floor, her legs still wrapped up in the blanket. Kicking her feet, she pushed the blanket off, eyes wide as she looked around the room.

“No,” she mumbled, eyes darting around the room, barely registering Lena, and Lillian.

“no, no, no,” she repeated, pushing herself up from the floor.

“Kara?” Lena called, standing from the couch.

“I- I have to get out,” Kara said, eyes vacant as she stared straight ahead, lower lip wobbling.

“Kara?”

“Where- where’s Clark?” Kara asked, spinning in place as she mumbled to herself. “I- I have to- I have to save him.”

Crossing the room, Lillian stood in front of Kara, hands moving to rest gently on her shoulders.

“Kara, dear, who is Clark?” Lillian asked, startling when Kara pushed her hands away, the blonde stumbling backward, eyes glued to the fireplace. Breathing growing fast and frantic, Lena rushed forward when Kara started falling, catching her as her knees hit the floor.

Tears gathered in blue eyes, the flames blurring as a figure sat in front of her.

“Mom?” Kara said quietly, looking into green eyes. More tears fell when she saw Lillian. Feeling arms around her, she pushed away, growing agitated when they didn’t let go immediately.

“Let me go!” the blonde yelled, “I have to save them,” she whispered.

“Please let me save them,” she whimpered, curling into a ball. Looking to Lillian, Lena frowned. Turning back to the blonde, Lena slowly placed a hand on Kara’s back, between her shoulder blades. When she didn’t flinch away, Lena started moving her hand in circles across the girls back, her other hand moving to her own side where the pain had flared up.

“Are you okay?” Lillian asked, shifting closer to Lena.

Nodding, Lena dropped her hand. “Yeah. Just sore from being jostled,” She said.

Sitting on the floor, Lillian watched Kara slowly uncurl herself, her eyes rimmed red, cheeks covered in tear tracks.

“I’m sorry,” the blonde whispered. Sitting back, she crossed her legs on the floor in front of her.

“Are you okay?” Lena asked, her hand still moving in circles across Kara’s back. Nodding, Kara stood, reaching out to take Lena’s hand, pulling her up from the floor. When Lena was standing, Kara dropped her hand, turning to help Lillian as well, the older woman still kneeling on the floor. Standing, Lillian used their linked hands to pull Kara into a hug, strong arms wrapping around her thin frame. Warmth radiated from the woman, Kara instinctively burying her face in the space between her neck and shoulder, trembling arms wrapping slowly around the taller woman’s waist.

Kara could feel Lena’s curiosity. Knowing the brunette, Lena would wait to ask questions. Kara knew she had to tell Lena and her mother.

Lena always wondered why Kara was so adamant about protecting her, the blonde always making sure Lena knew she would be there. She never asked Kara about her past, knowing it would cause the blonde to shut down. Lena never questioned her own past, the circumstances behind her adoption never piquing her interest. All she knew was she was two and a half when she was abandoned outside a convenience store.

_*_

_She doesn’t remember the trip she had taken with her birth mother, following her around the store. She only remembers the rain, pouring relentlessly. Not the woman telling her to wait by the front of the store while she got the car. She had waited. And waited. But the woman never came back. Minutes, hours maybe passed. The rain slowly let up, the parking lot slowly emptying, couples and families coming and going while she sat on the bench, waiting. She had lost track of how long she sat there, the sky going red as a tall woman leading a young boy walked up to her, the woman kneeling before her._

_“Are you lost dear?” the woman asked, kneeling in front of the bench._

_Shaking her head, Lena clutched the stuffed tiger to her chest._

_“Are you waiting for someone?” The boy asked, standing beside the woman._

_Nodding, Lena mumbled, “mama.”_

_“Is she inside?” the woman asked. Shaking her head, the girl pointed towards the parking lot._

_“mama car,” she said._

_“Do you know how long you’ve been waiting?”_

_Lena shook her head._

_“Where’s your car?” the boy asked, looking around the nearly empty parking lot._

_“Gone,” Lena whimpered, pilling her knees up to her chest on the large bench._

_“She left?” the boy shrieked, looking towards his mother with wide eyes. The sudden loud noise caused Lena to flinch, tears pooling in her eyes._

_“Hush Lex, not so loud,” the woman chastised._

_“Sorry,” the boy, Lex, said, moving to sit beside Lena on the bench._

_“i’s ‘kay,” Lena said, wiping her nose on her sleeve._

_“What’s your name sweetheart?” the woman asked._

_“Lena.”_

_“That’s a beautiful name, Lena. I’m Lillian, and this is my son Lex,” Lillian said, placing a hand on the boy’s knee._

_“Nice to meet you,” Lex said, thrusting a hand out between them with a goofy smile. Staring at it, Lena startled when Lex laughed. Slowly reaching for her right hand, Lena nodded, watching as he took_ _her hand, placing it in his, shaking it lightly._

_“This is a handshake,” He explained. “grown-ups do it when they meet each other. Kind of like hello,” he smiled._

_Nodding, Lena took her hand back, running her fingers through the soft fur of her tiger. Turning to the woman, Lillian, Lena reached out her hand the same way Lex did, warm fingers wrapping around her small hand._

_“Nice mee’ you,” She said, slowly moving her arm up and down, much less enthusiastic than Lex’s handshake, but a handshake all the same._

_“You as well Lena,” Lillian said._

_“Mom?” Lex piped up beside her._

_“Yes, dear?”_

_“What do we do now?”_

_“I’m going to call your father. Can you sit with her while I do that?” Lillian asked. Nodding, Lena watched the woman stand, moving a few paces away. She watched as Lillian tapped a few butting, raising the device to her ear, pacing as she talked to the person on the other end._

_Beside her, Lex distracted her with stories of robots and aliens, his arms flailing wildly in front of him as his eyes lit up. Pushing herself further onto the bench, Lena pulled at the straps of her backpack, sliding the bright pink straps down her arm. Turning to face sideways on the bench, Lena pulled her knees up to her chest, head resting on the backpack that sat propped against the back of the bench. Wrapping her arms around the stuffed tiger, Lena listened to Lex’s never-ending stories, her eyes slowly drifting shut._

_*_

_Days passed. Days of wondering. Hours of phone calls that went nowhere. Dozens of broken thoughts running through her head. Why did mama leave? Was she coming back? Lena didn’t know what to think. At two years old, she didn’t understand what was happening. Why men in scary suits kept asking her questions she didn’t know the answers to. Lillian was the only constant. Sitting in the chair beside her, wrapping the small girl in her arms as she cried. Tucking her in at night with a story and a kiss before leaving._

_An older girl, Lucy, came into her room one day. She helped Lena get dressed, leading her to the dining room. Sitting at a large table, dozens of children sat, some talking and laughing, others eating quietly. Pulling her up onto a chair, Lucy helped her eat small bits of pancake._

_She was almost done with her orange juice when she heard it. The sound of tires coming up the gravel road, the slam of a door, followed by a quieter thump. Children all around her raced to the windows, peeking through the blinds to see who had come to visit._

_“Lena, it’s for you,” Lucy said, helping her down from the table. As her feet hit the floor, the front door of the large house opened, quick steps running through the front room, a muffled “slow down Lex,” drifting through the door._

_“Right this way,” She heard the social worker say. Several times she had come, asking Lena questions in ways she could answer them. Her last name. Her age. Simple things._

_Suddenly, the dining room door swung open, the social worker walking through, her heels clicking against the wooden floor._

_“Lena,” She said, reaching a hand out to the small girl. Taking her hand, Lena followed her to an unoccupied room. Walking in, she found Lillian and Lex sitting at a table. Beside Lillian, a tall man stood._

_“Hello Lena,” Lillian said smiling._

_“Hi,” Lena said quietly, eyeing the man before quickly looking towards Lillian._

_“Lena,” the social worker started, kneeling beside the toddler, continuing when green eyes darted to her. “How would you like to go home with them?” She asked._

_“Home?” Lena asked._

_“Home,” the woman repeated._

_“Mama?” Lena said quietly, looking at Lillian._

_“That’s right,” Lillian said. “I’ll be your mama.”_

_“And I’ll be your brother!” Lex cheered, Lillian, placing a hand on his shoulder to stop him before he could run across the room._

_“da?” Green eyes turned to the man beside Lillian._

_Walking around the table, the man kneeled in front of Lena. “My name is Lionel,” He said._

_“home, you?” Lena asked._

_“Do you want that?” Lionel asked. Nodding vigorously, Lena hobbled forward, nearly falling into Lillian’s lap._

_Quickly after, a stack of papers sat on the table in front of Lionel, the pen in his hand running across the paper quickly. A quiet click was heard, the pen dropping onto the table. Standing, Lionel handed the papers to the social worker, Lillian standing with Lena on her hip._

_“Ready to go home?” She asked, her free hand running through Lena’s short black hair. Nodding, her new family left the room, walking through the front door, nearing the threshold when Lena’s head whipped up._

_“What is it?” Lillian asked._

_“’ugo,” Lena said, wiggling in Lillian’s grasp. Setting her on the floor, Lillian watched the green-eyed toddler half run, half crawl to the dining room, her tiny hand tugging on the pant leg of an older brunette._

_“What’s up Lena?” she heard the brunette ask, turning in her chair to face the toddler._

_“Lena home, ’ugo,” Lena said, pointing at Lillian and Lex._

_“Of course Lena bug, I’ll be right back,” the girl said, picking Lena up. Passing Lillian, the girl handed Lena to Lillian with a muttered ‘be right back’ before she turned. Bounding up the stairs, she heard_ _a door open and close, the brunette clambering back down the stairs with a small pink backpack, a stuffed tiger peeking out of the top._

_“’ugo!” Lena cheered, reaching for the stuffed animal. Pulling the tiger out of the backpack, the girl handed it to Lena, her tiny arms wrapping around the toy._

_“Thank you,” Lillian said, taking the backpack from the girl._

_“No problem ma’am. She has trouble sleeping without Hugo.”_

_“Ready to go Lena?” Lillian asked, handing the backpack to Lex to take out to the car._

_Nodding, Lena turned to the brunette._

_“bye bye ‘ucy.” Lena said._

_“Goodbye Lena,” Lucy said, resting a hand on the toddlers back before turning around._

_“Time to go home,” Lillian said, carrying Lena out to the car, the door shutting behind her._

_*_

Sitting on the couch, Lena had one hand curled around a mug of tea, the other holding her side as she leaned into her mother. Lillian had an arm wrapped around her daughter, her thumb moving lazily up and down her arm as they sat across from Kara.

“I was 9,” Kara started, her back to the dying fire, a blanket wrapped tight across her shoulders.

“I was 9 when I was adopted by the Danvers. I had gone to bed one night, my aunt tucking me in because my mom wasn’t home yet. Clark, my cousin, was asleep in the room next to mine. I fell asleep, waking up to my mom coming into my room to tell me goodnight. She kissed me on the forehead, turning the dial on my nightlight to another region of space with different constellations. I went back to sleep.

I remember it feeling stuffy in my room. I tried kicking the blankets off, but it still felt too hot. That’s when I noticed the light under my door. I got out of bed, wondering who was up so late at night. I reached for the handle, and when I pulled on the door, it fell off its hinges, the other side seared black, dust and ash flying through the air as it fell to the floor. Stepping into the hallway, I heard my mom calling to me.

Her bedroom door was blocked, parts of the ceiling had fallen in front of it. She yelled at me to get Clark and get out, so I ran into his room. I took him out of his crib, keeping his sheets wrapped around him to block out the smoke. I tried going to the front door, but the flames were too thick and high, so I turned to go to the back door. That’s when the stairs leading upstairs to my aunt’s room collapsed, the back door blocked by boards and smoke. I heard my dad yelling for us to get out, my mom pulling his shirt off when it caught fire. I ran to the kitchen, pushing the window above the sink open.

There was a tree there, its branches hanging really close to the house. I pushed the dishes aside, some falling to the floor and shattering. I tied Clark’s sheets around me so I could carry him and use both my hands. I was reaching out to the branch when something behind me fell, so I jumped. My knee slammed into the branch, nearly sending me straight to the ground, but I held on, holding Clark close to me as I clung to the trunk. The heat was so intense, I knew I needed to get farther away. So I climbed down the tree, blood running down my knee. I got almost to the sidewalk when I fell, landing on my knee again.

I untangled the sheets from around Clark. He had fallen asleep. I could hear the firetrucks coming, their lights bouncing off the houses around me, but they were too slow. I heard them pull up onto the sidewalk, their tires digging into the grass, screeching to a halt against the sidewalk. They barely got their equipment ready when the chimney collapsed, pulling the roof with it. I tried to stand, the weight on my leg nearly sending me back to the ground, but I had to get in there. I had to save them.

It felt like it happened in slow motion. When the chimney fell, it pulled the roof down, the weight crashing straight through the second floor, down on top of them. I remember trying to get back inside, but someone stopped me. They wrapped their arms around me, pulling me backward. I tried to get away, to go back inside, but they wouldn’t let me go. They got me into the ambulance, Clark beside me. They cut to leg off my pajama pants, cleaning and wrapping my leg.

I turned to Clark. He looked so peaceful despite everything. I asked them how he was doing. If I had done enough to keep the smoke away. I asked them when he would wake up. I’ll never forget the looks in their eyes. I was too slow. He inhaled too much smoke for his lungs to handle, they couldn’t get it out in time.

I was too slow.

I’m the only survivor.”

Lena didn’t know what to do. What to say. She felt Lillian’s arm tighten around her. The tears streaming down her face. The vacant look in Kara’s eyes. Everything she could think of to say felt empty. Hollow. The right words didn’t exist. They would never exist. No matter what letters she shoved together, whatever words she lined up, nothing could properly express what she was feeling. An inaudible click, an invisible light bulb. Sudden clarity filled Lena. She finally, _finally,_ understood Kara’s deep urge to protect her. She finally understood the dozens of apologies, the thousands of unspoken promises. The way Kara’s arms would linger, holding her tighter when she’d had a bad day. The whispered reassurances as Lena cried, wishing she could be left alone. She finally understood Kara. Her protector. Her best friend. The girl who painted worlds of red, forests of black. Sunny, blue-eyed, walking ray of sunshine. Kara.

Slowly, she sat forward, Lillian’s arm falling from around her shoulders. Placing her mug on the table, she stood. One step. Two steps. Standing in front of Kara, she gently pulled the blanket from around the blonde’s shoulders. Taking advantage of the size of the chair, Lena carefully placed her knees on either side of Kara’s hips. Hovering carefully over Kara’s lap, Lena took the blonde’s face in her hands, thumbs catching the steady stream of tears falling down red cheeks. Green eyes stared into blue, emotions swirling deeply in both. Slowly guiding her, Lena brought Kara’s head to her shoulder, lashes brushing gently against her neck as she wrapped her arms around Kara’s shoulders. Kara, in turn, wrapped her arms around Lena’s waist, burying her face deeper into Lena’s collar, tears soaking her shirt. She ignored the bruises all over, screaming at her to let go. Kara mattered more. Swaying slightly, Lena held Kara, fingers tangled in blonde locks as the brunette pressed kisses to the side of her head.

Minutes passed. An hour even, and still they sat. Clinging to one another like their lives depended on it. Lillian had come over, pressing a kiss to both of their heads before quietly shuffling out of the room. Lena could feel her legs falling asleep, Kara’s no doubt doing the same. But she held still. Every shift, every slight movement, and Kara held tighter. The arms around her waist holding her still, fingers digging slightly into her sides, the stiff plaster pressing into her back. A dull throbbing in her ribs where greenish-yellow bruises protested against the pressure, the winces of pain masked by a kiss to the blonde’s forehead, temple, cheek. _Loosen a little_ , Lena whispered, the pain flaring in her side growing too sharp to ignore. With a silent apology, Kara’s vice grip lessened, the throbbing diminishing to a dull ache.

Slowly, Kara’s arms loosened from around her waist, falling to her sides. Sitting up, Lena moved her hands. One rested on her shoulder, the other cupped her jaw, her thumb swiping away the last of Kara’s tears. Pulling her forward, Lena pressed her lips to the center of Kara’s forehead just above her eyebrows. Her lips lingered a moment longer, Kara’s eyes fluttering closed as Lena pulled back, pressing their foreheads together. Opening her eyes, Kara looked into Lena’s.

“I love you, Kara,” Lena whispered, “and I am so, _so_ sorry that you had to live through that. I know I can never say anything to help, but I will always, _always_ be by your side.”

“I love you too, Lena,” Kara said, eyes closing as her hands moved to rest on Lena’s hips, her thumbs moving up and down mindlessly.

“Would you like to get some lunch? Or would you rather stay here?” Lena asked, moving back so both her hands rested on Kara’s shoulders.

“We should probably get up. I don’t know about you, but after sleeping on the couch, then sitting here for so long, I need to stretch.”

“Okay,” Lena said, slightly pushing against Kara’s shoulders. Sliding her legs off the chair, she wobbled slightly at the rush of blood moving back into her legs. Leaning forward, Kara’s hands steadied her from their place on her waist. Taking Kara’s hands in hers, Lena pulled the blonde up from the chair, both of them giggling as they wobbled about. Keeping one of Kara’s hands in hers, Lena laced their fingers together. Running her other hand through her hair, she pushed loose strands out of her face. With joined hands, they headed towards the kitchen.

* * *

Standing at the sink in the kitchen, Lillian washed the plates from breakfast, along with the mugs of tea that had long gone cold. One look at Kara and nobody would ever think she had experienced something so terrible. So life-altering. Her heart ached for the blonde. For the child that watched as her family was lost. It ached for her daughter. For the family, she couldn’t remember. Times like these she missed Lionel. His arms wrapped around her. His voice in her ear, telling her she could do it. She could help them. She missed Lex being around. His presence an anchor for Lena. A place she could go for advice. Protection. Love. She knew Lex would always be there for Lena. She even imagined he’d be there for Kara.

Her heart reached out to Eliza. Alex. Jeremiah. The family that saved the young blonde. The people that taught her to love again. To smile. To laugh.

She felt like she finally understood Kara. The reason behind her repeated apologies. The deeply rooted fear that took hold of the blonde. She hadn’t understood what it meant when Lex told her the blonde felt like she failed. Now she does. Standing at the sink, Lillian rests her elbows on the counter, her head hanging low as she fights the tears burning behind her eyes. Wiping her hands on a towel, she pushed herself to stand straight, wiping at her eyes when she heard footsteps coming towards the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the tears aside, forcing a smile on her face as Lena and Kara came through the door.

“Hey Mom,” Lena said as she and Kara walked further into the room.

“Hi dear,” Lillian said, leaning gently against the counter. “How are you feeling?” She asked Kara, the blonde standing quietly beside Lena, hands still clasped together.

“I’m okay. Thank you,” Kara said.

“What would you two like for lunch?” Lillian asked.

“Anything is fine with me,” Lena said, Kara nodding beside her.

“I’ll make some sandwiches. How about you two go find a movie?”

“Okay.” Turning to leave the kitchen, Lena stopped when Kara dropped her hand.

“I’ll meet you there?” Kara asked, wrapping her arms around herself. Nodding, Lena rested her hand on Kara’s shoulder, sliding it down the blonde’s back as she walked out of the room.

Standing opposite Lillian at the counter, Kara rested her forearms on the marble.

“I’m sorry,” Kara said, breaking the silence, “for what happened earlier. I’m not usually that bad.”

“You have nothing to apologize for Kara. Something like that; I can’t even imagine what that’s like. I only wish I knew how to help,” Lillian said, slices of bread laying across the counter in front of her.

“I know Alex is usually the one that has to deal with me, but I’m really glad I have you and Lena as well,” Kara said, pushing herself off the counter. Slowly, she walked around the island, stopping beside the taller woman. Dropping the knife on the counter, Lillian brushed crumbs off her hands before turning to face the blonde. Hesitantly, Kara stepped forward, her arms moving from their place around her midsection to around Lillian. Resting her head against Lillian’s collar, the blonde hummed when Lillian’s arms wrapped around her.

“You’ll always have us,” Lillian whispered, rubbing a hand up and down the blonde’s back.

“Thank you,” Kara said, tightening her hold on Lillian before dropping her arms to her sides. “I’m going to go help Lena.”

“I’ll be there shortly with lunch.”

* * *

Driving to the Luthor mansion from school, Alex held Sam’s hand over the center console. She was hesitant to leave that morning, worried about Kara. She remembers the first year Kara came to live with them, how scared she was that her new family would disappear. She remembers the anger Kara felt that she was the one left alive. How left behind she felt.

“Are you okay Alex?” Sam asked, squeezing the brunette’s hand.

“Yeah, babe. Just worried about Kara.”

“Lena’s with her, I’m sure she enjoyed koala Kara. If anything her presence helped,” Sam said.

“I know. I just worry. She’s lost a lot. Been through a lot. Sometimes I wish I could wrap her in a blanket and shield her from everything.”

“I wish the same for Lena sometimes. Especially now. But at least they have each other.”

Nodding, Alex focused back on the road, stopping briefly to let the gate open. Pulling into one of the empty spots, she killed the engine. Climbing out of the car, she ran around to open Sam’s door, taking her hand and leading her to the front door. Walking inside, they could hear the television in the theatre room, the credit song to some Disney movie playing. Looking in the room, she spotted three people in the front row, her sister sitting between the Luthor’s, her head on Lena’s shoulder. Knocking on the door frame, she smiled when three sets of eyes turned to her, Kara shooting up from her chair.

Running up the aisle between the seats, Kara barreled into Alex, the force of her hug knocking the brunette back into Sam, the taller girl catching them with a laugh.

“Careful Kara,” Alex laughed, wrapping Kara in a near bone-crushing hug, the same way Kara held her.

“You’re back,” Kara whispered, her voice muffled by Alex’s hoodie.

“I’ll always come back,” Alex said, pressing a kiss to the top of Kara’s head. Two sets of arms wrapped around the sisters, Sam and Lena joining in on the hug while Lillian stood back, taking a picture to send to Eliza.

The four girls spent the afternoon running around the mansion playing games like tag and hide and seek. Lena won most of the games involving hiding, Kara winning tag with her speed. Shortly after dinner, Eliza returned, Kara spending time with her before the older blonde shuffled off to bed, worn out from the long day she had.

Piling into Lena’s room, the teens climbed on the brunette’s bed. They talked about Alex and Sam’s day at school, the movies Kara and Lena watched. They made plans for their Friday afternoon.

“I don’t mean to bring it up if you’re not ready Lena, but don’t you and Kara go back to school Monday?” Sam asked, pulling a pillow onto her lap, resting her forearms on it.

Clutching the pillow in her lap, Lena crossed her legs, pulling at a loose string. Beside her, Kara stared at the cast around her wrist, adjusting her glasses as she waited.

“I’m supposed to,” Lena started, glancing between the two older teens. “I didn’t think I’d ever be able to.”

Kara stared at her lap, ignoring the tears blurring her vision. She knew Lena not going back was a possibility. She even felt like that’s what was going to happen. So why did hearing it out loud hurt? Why did being right feel so wrong?

“At first, I didn’t think I could. But I talked to my mom. I still don’t feel totally safe, but she helped me change my schedule a little bit so I could be with Kara all day.” Lena said, smiling when Kara’s head whipped up, blue eyes wide and full of tears.

“What?” Alex asked, leaning into Sam’s side, the taller brunette wrapping an arm around the older Danvers.

“I can pretty much teach myself the math, as long as I turn in the assignments. So instead of being in separate classes, our teachers agreed to let me stay in the art room and do my work.” Lena explained.

“Really?” Sam asked when Kara sat still, staring wide-eyed at Lena.

“You-you're going back to school?” Kara asked, a smile growing on her face as Lena nodded beside her. A watery laugh escaped the blonde as she all but lunged at the brunette, Lena yelping when Kara’s cast collided with her ribs again.

“I’m so sorry!” Kara exclaimed, moving to back away, Lena stopping her by throwing her arms around the blonde’s neck.

“Just be more careful next time,” Lena whispered to the blonde, burying her head in the older girl’s shoulder.

“This calls for a celebration!” Alex cheered, clambering off the bed and out the door.

“Babe? Where are you going?” Sam asked tumbling gracelessly after her girlfriend.

“Hot chocolate and marshmallows!” The older Danvers yelled down the hall.

“Should we follow them?” Kara asked, her fingers running through Lena’s hair, brushing it out of her face.

“In a minute,” Lena mumbled into Kara’s shoulder.

“Okay,” Kara said. The two sat on Lena’s bed wrapped in each other for a few minutes more, interrupted only by Lillian stepping in to say goodnight.

Climbing off the bed, Lena took Kara’s hand, the duo padding barefoot through the house down to the kitchen. Meeting Alex and Sam in the kitchen, the four of them sipped their hot chocolate, Alex and Kara competing to see who could stuff more marshmallows in their mouth. Kara won by two marshmallows, laughing when Lena tried shoving another one in her mouth, barely avoiding spitting them all out. Cleaning up their mess, Alex and Sam washed the mugs, Kara drying them for Lena to put away.

“We should head to bed,” Alex said, noting the late hour.

“Right,” Lena said, “we should too.”

Ascending the stairs quietly, Alex led Sam to her room, staying inside for a few minutes before coming back out in her pajamas. Walking across the hall, Alex pulled Kara into a hug before walking into the blonde’s room, shutting the door with a quiet _goodnight._

“I guess you’re sleeping with me then?” Lena said, opening the door to her room.

“If you don’t mind,” Kara mumbled, “I can climb with Alex if it bothers you,” Kara said a little louder, taking a step backward.

“Get in here doofus,” Lena laughed, pulling Kara by the upper arm. “You can have some of my pajamas.”

Mumbling thanks, Kara sat on the bed while Lena rummaged through her drawers. Pulling out two pairs of shorts and two t-shirts, she tossed a set to Kara, practically shoving the blonde into her bathroom to change.

Turning off the lights, Lena climbed into bed, watching as Kara shuffled out of the bathroom, climbing in beside her. Setting her glasses on the nightstand, Kara pulled the covers up to their shoulders. On her back facing the ceiling, she could feel more than she could see Lena shuffle across the bed, the brunettes head resting on her shoulder.

“Goodnight, Kara,” She sleepily whispered.

“Goodnight Lena,” Kara said, pressing a kiss to the top of Lena’s head.

“Love you,” she heard as Lena’s arm snaked around her waist.

“Love you too,” She said, burrowing into the warmth. Closing her eyes, she let the stress and sadness of the day disappear, succumbing to the pull of sleep.


End file.
